Lilly: A Collaborative Effort to Fight NCDs in India

Today’s blog is written by Edgard Olaizola, Managing Director of Lilly India, and Ms Shobana Kamineni, Chairperson, CII National Committee on Public Health.   We are all aware of the significant global healthcare challenge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).  India represents an important example of a population struggling with the rising burden of NCDs. For instance, diabetes, has emerged as a major disease burden affecting almost 65 million Indians; around 17 percent of the global diabetes burden.    Contributing factors identified for this sharp increase are: poor food habits, a sedentary lifestyle and rise in obesity. Concerningly, in India we are seeing more and more young people now being diagnosed with diabetes. This coincides with an individual’s most productive years. Developing diabetes during these years leads to a series of complications—professional, personal and economic—that challenge the individuals affected, their families and their employers.   Read on about Lilly's policy white paper, which aims to highlight best practices in NCD prevention, screening and treatment, and make recommendations as to how these diseases can be managed.