Identifying early signs of NCDs aid in saving lives': Soumya Swaminathan

Visakhapatnam: Even as Andhra Pradesh government is contributing a lot to strengthen the primary healthcare sector, there is a need for a public health cadre that will not only have doctors and nurses but specialists belonging to various departments, opines former Chief Scientist of WHO Soumya Swaminathan.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 16th Global Healthcare Summit (GHS) organised by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), Dr.Soumya Swaminathan, who attended the inaugural session of the GHS as guest of honour, says that public health cadre plays a bigger role in providing universal health coverage.

"Also, there is a need to build up the laboratory infrastructure. We have seen how genetic sequencing has helped in times of the Covid-19 pandemic. It can help in treating other diseases such as cancer. Setting up centres of genomics where genetic sequencing can be done will come in handy in not only treating infectious diseases but also addressing other health issues," Dr. Soumya Swaminathan stresses.

With technology such as 'telehealth', 'telemedicine' and AI-based devices playing a bigger role in boosting healthcare space, she emphasised on regular screenings to keep a tab on non-communicable diseases. The former Chief Scientist of WHO mentions that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) lead to premature mortality and there is a need to identify them early in order to save lives. "Diabetes, hypertension, kidney ailments, stroke and heart disease sum up to the risk factors at environmental and individual levels. While some turn out to be genetic, a lot of them are behavior-based," Dr. Soumya Swaminathan observes.

There is a need to address the risk factors in the environment in terms of air pollution, food systems, diet and physical activity. Apparently, individual behavior such as smoking tobacco and alcohol drinking impact one's health and quality of life. The government should consider policy action and interventions to enhance public healthcare, she underlines.

Speaking about the fourth wave of Covid-19, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan mentions that there is always a possibility of a wave. "We are seeing a wave now in other countries like the US, China and Europe. It has been driven by a recombinant variant XBB 1.5. Going forward, more variants keep trickling in and we have to be prepared to tackle them," she shares.

Appreciating the state government for its proactive steps considered in strengthening primary healthcare, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan opines that MedTech Zone (AMTZ) in Visakhapatnam should consider steps to take medical innovations way forward in order to make healthcare more affordable and yield quality-oriented results.