Marking World Hypertension Day, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched a landmark nationwide initiative aimed at strengthening India’s response to non communicable diseases (NCDs). Under the ambitious “75/25” initiative, the Government plans to place 75 million individuals suffering from hypertension and diabetes under Standard Care by 2025 through Primary Health Centres (PHCs), making it one of the world’s largest community-based NCD management programs.

The announcement was made during the G20 co-branded event, “Accelerating the Prevention and Management of Hypertension and Diabetes”, jointly organized by the Union Health Ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO). The event witnessed participation from policymakers, global health experts, state representatives, and international healthcare organizations.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. V K Paul described the initiative as a transformational step in India’s healthcare journey. He emphasized that the programme reflects the Government’s strong commitment toward preventive healthcare, capacity enhancement, resource mobilization, and multi sectoral collaboration. Dr. Paul highlighted that India’s growing network of over 1.5 lakh Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres, along with digital health and telemedicine services, will play a pivotal role in bringing healthcare services closer to communities.

He stressed that effective screening and sustained treatment are critical in addressing the burden of NCDs. Urging stakeholders to ensure better treatment adherence, he noted that diagnosis alone is insufficient unless patients remain under continuous care. Dr. Paul also called for greater focus on lifestyle modification, healthy eating habits, exercise, and wellness practices to reduce the growing incidence of hypertension and diabetes.

Congratulating India on the initiative, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that India’s target of reaching 75 million people with hypertension under standard care by 2025 represents the largest primary healthcare coverage initiative for NCDs globally. He praised India’s commitment toward strengthening preventive healthcare systems.

In her virtual address, Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh appreciated India’s continued investment in primary healthcare infrastructure and acknowledged the operationalization of Health and Wellness Centres as a major achievement in expanding healthcare access.

Speaking at the event, Rajesh Bhushan highlighted the growing challenge of lifestyle-related diseases in India due to demographic and socioeconomic transitions. He emphasized the need for integrated efforts involving awareness, prevention, wellness, and collaboration between public and private sectors.

The Ministry also launched the Shashakt Portal for training 40,000 Primary Health Care Medical Officers on Standard Treatment Workflow for NCDs. Additionally, revised operational guidelines under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) were released, expanding services to include Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Asthma, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), and ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).

The initiative marks a significant milestone in India’s transition toward preventive, community-centric, and accessible healthcare delivery, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to achieving stronger health outcomes and universal healthcare coverage.