With the first year of the new decade kick starting, one starts formulating the resolution for the New Year and you would find many talking about quitting bad habits, no points for guessing, they all boil down to preserving health. While the other sections have finished discussing about the political, economic and the global statuses, one cannot forget to discuss the most crucial thing which is within you – Health. No two ways about it that it is the biggest wealth that man can earn and nurture after being born with. As we all know, the rate of morbidity in recent times is higher than the mortality rate, which throws up the fact that man might be living longer but with a lot of sufferings.
Statistical medical study in India is unthinkable because to achieve concrete results, you would need 1 % of the entire population for a detailed study. And we all know, 1 % of the entire population in India constitutes a crore people and studying them together is absolutely impossible. Neither the infrastructure is that strong nor the manpower to execute such a herculean task. Despite all these barriers, the trend is noticeable enough for us to point out the three most dreaded diseases of the next decade.
As per recent studies, the three most dreaded diseases for this decade are Diabetes, Cancer and Cardiac disorders. While India unfortunately emerges as the Diabetic capital of the world; US, UK, Canada and Wales recorded the most number of deaths due to cardiac problems. Proving the famous/infamous line, “multiplying in numbers like cancer cells”, Cancer is on a voluptuous rise and although medical science claims it’s avoidable, one would believe that it is still a big threat to life and will continue to be.
Diabetes has always been a massive threat to mankind but the present day scenario sees a drastic rise in the number of people being affected. The sedentary lifestyle, bad food habits, poor sleeping habits, escalated stress levels and most importantly, the ageing population are enough reasons for diabetes to tighten the grip. While people are slowly becoming aware about the post diagnosis treatment, they are highly ignorant with their wrong set of notions about its occurrence. With life moving on speeding tracks in this era, one needs to keep a tab on their daily habits to reduce the heavy repercussions. The numbers are scary if you take a look at them. According to the International Diabetes Federation Report of 2006, there are around 41 million diabetics in India which is expected to touch 70 million by the year 2025. With diabetes reaching up to the sky, it is high time now that people start becoming cautious.
It’s not just diabetes which is on the rise. Medicos are concerned so as to how they can control the death rate caused due to cancer. According to the recently concluded reports, cancer cases doubled from 1975-2000, is expected to do the same by 2020 and probably triple itself by 2030. These numbers are voluptuous and scary keeping in mind, how devastating cancer is.
“The rapid increase in the global cancer burden represents a real challenge for health systems worldwide” said Peter Boyle, Ph.D, DSc, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. He suggests although cancer is an increasing threat to the health system, it is largely preventable. Measures like cutting down on the consumption of tobacco and alcohol, screening and awareness, regular checkups, increased physical activity and proper vaccinations for Hepatitis B and human papillomavirus.
The low income countries along with the developing countries are the ones who struggle the most in battling Cancer. And to add to it, in a land like Africa, additional challenges in cancer care include pain management which are limited by prohibitions on narcotics in many countries. The authorities are planning to make vaccines that can prevent cancer causing infections and ensure that these are available to the low income countries.
Tobacco control programmes are also on the plan sheet but above all it is the individual who should be medically aware of such measures and put the best foot forward. US and UK might be pumping in a lot to the global economy but on the health front, they have been pegged back heavily as they have recorded the highest number of deaths due to cardiac disorders. Poor food habits and trading physical jobs for deskbound sloth have resulted in this great rise for coronary diseases. Five years back, in 2006, 1 of every 2.9 deaths was due to coronary disorder and this rate has only increased and will shoot up even more. Heart diseases are largely preventable if proper precautionary measures are adopted.
As scams are the talk of the town these days with wealth continuing to slip through known but un-checked cracks, one needs to ensure the “health which is considered to be wealth” doesn’t slip away due to carelessness!
This article was published in the January Edition, 2011 of P3.. Not Just Page 3.
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