The Hindu Business Line : Cardiovascular diseases claim most lives: Study

`The repercussion of cardiovascular diseases has led to an adverse effect on the Indian economy with estimated reduction of more than one per cent in the GDP by 2015.'

Hyderabad , April 13

A pilot study conducted in East and West Godavari districts has shown cardiovascular disease was responsible for an unexpectedly large proportion of all deaths. Contrary to widely held beliefs, communicable diseases such as malaria and childhood infections were responsible for relatively fewer deaths.

The Andhra Pradesh Rural Health Initiative (APRHI) conducted the study spanning two years in 45 villages in the two districts and covered a sample size of 1.8 lakh people.

The institute aims at highlighting the enormous problem of cardiovascular disease in the region and has found novel ways of dealing with them.

The initiative was started by the George Institute for International Health and University of Queensland in Australia, Byrraju Foundation, Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC) and CARE Foundation in India. Representatives of this collaboration met in Delhi on Thursday to discuss the progress of a major new health initiative being taken up in Andhra Pradesh.

An APRHI press release, quoting a WHO report, said cardiovascular diseases in India had claimed more than 250 lives in every 1,00,000 deaths reported in the country. "The repercussion of cardiovascular diseases has led to an adverse effect on the Indian economy with estimated reduction of more than one per cent in the GDP by 2015. India's economy is estimated to lose more than $200 million of the national income," it said.

Dr Bruce Neal of the George Institute for International Health said the institute would start an office in Hyderabad this year to continue research in rural areas.

"Our aim is to provide information and action on the research carried out by APRHI and build a strong action plan to combat the deadly situation prevailing in rural Andhra Pradesh and India," he said.

Prof. K Srinath Reddy, Head of Cardiology Department (AIIMS), and Director of CCDC, said 32 per cent of deaths in all age groups were due to cardiovascular diseases.

More Stories on : Health | Andhra Pradesh | Rural Development

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