A Silent Tsunami, Urges Apollo Hospitals' Sangita Reddy

In a recent interview, Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals, described non-communicable diseases as a silent tsunami that requires immediate and serious attention, similar to the response seen during the COVID-19 crisis. Reddy shared insights drawn from the Apollo Hospitals Health of the Nation 2025 report, revealing that approximately 70% of deaths are attributed to non-communicable diseases, underscoring the need for a proactive, war-like approach to combat this growing health threat.

The report presents troubling findings, including the fact that 26% of individuals screened for hypertension were asymptomatic. This statistic emerged from a routine screening of 450,000 individuals over the age of 40, highlighting a strong need for increased awareness and regular health checks. Additionally, Reddy noted a significant rise in diabetes rates among women, particularly those who are post-menopausal, and alarming figures indicating that 70% of women are now affected by fatty liver disease, which previously didn't seem as widespread.

Apollo Hospitals has highlighted a dramatic increase in preventive health checks, with numbers soaring from one million in 2019 to over 2.5 million in 2024—a growth of 150% in just five years. This trend reflects a growing public understanding of the importance of preventive healthcare. The Health of the Nation 2025 report, based on extensive health screenings and advanced data analysis, identifies critical health issues such as fatty liver disease, the decline of health post-menopause, and childhood obesity. The report calls for the implementation of personalized and lifestyle-focused care strategies to address these urgent health challenges effectively.