Preventive healthcare future model, key to economy and security: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday described preventive healthcare as the "future model" of the healthcare system, citing changing disease patterns, rising treatment costs and India's ageing population as key reasons for shifting the focus towards early detection and prevention.

Addressing the inauguration of a Mahajan Imaging and Labs facility here, Singh said non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, kidney failure and mental health disorders were increasingly becoming major health concerns.

"These diseases do not develop in a day.

They develop gradually in the body over years.

High sugar, high cholesterol, fatty liver and borderline blood pressure are all warning signs.

The future of healthcare lies in identifying these warning signs in time," he said.

Singh said preventive healthcare also made economic sense as treating advanced diseases could cost lakhs of rupees, while annual health check-ups, lifestyle counselling, early screenin