ICMR Proposes Research on Non-Communicable Disease in relation to COVID 19

The government has come out with a proposal to conduct research for COVID 19 in relation to the non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart and kidney ailments, which puts people with these conditions, especially the elderly, at higher risk for contracting the deadly coronavirus, with severe symptoms.

The main objective is to guide the preparedness of the health system to include the non-communicable diseases in response to the pandemic. It has been proposed that health-care delivery, use of technology, surveillance-monitoring-evaluation, governance and policy should be considered as the key research domains.

Relation between COVID 19 and NCDs

The leading risk factors for NCDs are the use of tobacco, alcohol, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, high systolic blood pressure, high fasting plasma glucose, drug abuse, high cholesterol, high body mass index and low physical activity.

Now it has been observed that about 75% fatalities due to the COVID 19 were among the elderly and those with co-morbid conditions suffering from NCDs. Hence, it can be assumed that the people with pre-existing NCDs are at more risk of getting infected by the COVID 19 virus.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2020