Urban Health Survey Flags Rising Disease Burden, Financial Stress in Marginalized Settlements

Drawing from patient data and household surveys conducted through its community health interventions, as survey noted, in areas including Hakeempet, Kishan Bagh, Kalapather, Yakatpura, Amanagar, Ganganagar, Bandlaguda, Shaheen Nagar, Jalpally, and Pahadi Shareef, the report identifies access to affordable healthcare as a primary concern for 35% of respondents. Additionally, 51% reported walking to health facilities to avoid transportation costs, underscoring the importance of proximity and neighborhood-level access in healthcare utilization. In many urban slum clusters, families spend between ₹500 and ₹1,000 per visit for routine seasonal ailments, often at private clinics run by informal providers, leading to recurring out-of-pocket expenditure and financial strain.

To bridge these gaps, HHF, supported by SEED-USA and AMPI-USA, operates 20 Urban Comprehensive Community Health Centers, comprising 14 main centers and 6 sub-centres, delivering free outpatient consultations, ante- and post-natal care, vision and dental services, daycare facilities, and non-communicable disease (NCD) management. In 2025 alone, 5,88,900 patients accessed services free of cost, of whom 65% were women. Children and adolescents aged 0–17 constituted 42% of beneficiaries, while young adults aged 19–35 accounted for another 25%, indicating that urban health issues are increasingly centered around the younger population. Migrant laborers represented 32% of the patient base.

The report underscores the significant economic impact of accessible primary healthcare. According to Mujtaba Hasan Askari, Founder and Trustee of HHF, sustained community-based interventions have resulted in cumulative household savings estimated to approach ₹100 crore over time. The findings reveal that 89.26% of beneficiaries agreed that free primary healthcare improved household savings and strengthened overall financial stability. Further, 81.30% reported that they were able to avoid borrowing money for healthcare-related expenses, while 48.90% stated that affordability prevented delays in seeking treatment.

In addition, HHF’s Help Desks, established in 17 State-run hospitals, facilitated 8,142 advanced care referrals in 2025 alone. Assistance with diagnostics, blood products, implants, emergency navigation, and elective procedures translated into ₹44.21 crore in savings in a single year for poor patients accessing tertiary care. When combined with the sustained savings from free primary consultations, preventive screenings, dialysis services, rehabilitation support, and critical care assistance over the years, the overall economic relief extended to vulnerable households is estimated to be substantial, significantly reducing medical debt and financial distress.

The survey of approximately 1,500 households also highlights a mounting metabolic health crisis within urban settlements. Between 35% and 40% of households reported hypertension, diabetes, and both. One in three adults was found to be overweight with high central obesity, and nearly 70% of such adults were insulin resistant or pre-diabetic without awareness. The report notes a rising trend of reproductive health issues among young women, including PCOS, PCOD, fibroids, and irregular menstrual cycles. Among cancers, head and neck cancers, particularly oral cancer among young men, were found to be prevalent due to high exposure to non-smoked tobacco, gutka, and paan. Cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and heart and brain strokes in young and middle-aged individuals are also sharply rising.

The report identifies a common denominator underlying the growing NCD burden: poor diet, high exposure to processed foods, improper sleep, sedentary lifestyles, inadequate public spaces for physical activity, poor health-seeking behavior, and financial constraints in accessing timely treatment.

To address early detection and ongoing management, HHF has established basti-level BP and Sugar Clinics modelled on community-based interventions. Trained health workers conduct door-to-door enumeration to identify and link NCD patients to clinics where doctors provide consultation, medication, testing, and diet counselling, with close follow-up. Over 2,500 patients are currently enrolled in this program.

Commenting on the findings, Mr. Askari said, “Urban settlements with dense migrant populations require healthcare that is accessible, affordable, and close to home. Robust referral pathways and strong community outreach not only improve health outcomes but also protect families from falling into debt. When delivered consistently, healthcare becomes an instrument of social justice.”

The report calls for sustained, neighborhood-based healthcare delivery systems coupled with strong referral networks and community education initiatives to address rising disease burdens and reduce inequity in densely populated urban settlements.