PTI

Mumbai: Piramal Group along with other industry associations and NGOs has launched the ‘help-your-body´, crusade against chronic diseases, aiming to provide affordable medicines in rural areas.

The programme, inaugurated by former President APJ Abdul Kalam, will emphasize on imparting knowledge on healthy food for healthy body and target each and every individual.

To battle against chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, cardiac diseases and orthopedic diseases, the group has joined hands with The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), leading doctors, public figures and NGOs.

According to the WHO report, 38.8 crore people will die in the next ten years due to chronic disease and a significant proportion would be from India.

Piramal Group’s director, Swati Piramal, said, “India is expected to be the chronic disease capital with over 70 million diabetics, 213 million hypertensive patients and 60 million with arthritis by 2025. We feel that the government, the private sector, the medical fraternity, NGOs should come together against the onslaught of chronic diseases.”