Preventive healthcare key to India's economy and security: Rajnath

Singh emphasized the economic and strategic importance of preventive medicine while inaugurating a diagnostic imaging facility on Saturday. He noted that non-communicable diseases including diabetes, hypertension, cardiac conditions, cancer, kidney failure and mental health disorders are increasingly dominating India's disease burden.

"These diseases develop gradually over years, not overnight," Singh said. "High blood sugar, elevated cholesterol, fatty liver and borderline blood pressure are warning signs that must be identified early. The future of healthcare lies in detecting these signals in time."

The Defence Minister underscored the financial burden posed by advanced disease treatment, which can cost substantial sums. He contrasted this with the relative affordability of annual health screenings, lifestyle counselling and early diagnostic interventions, positioning prevention as an economically sound approach.

Singh's remarks reflect broader policy shifts toward preventive healthcare in India, as the country grapples with a dual disease burden spanning communicable and non-communicable illnesses alongside demographic changes. The emphasis on early detection through accessible screening aligns with efforts to reduce healthcare costs while improving population health outcomes.