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On any given day about 35 million Indians could be unwell: Study

New Delhi - When results of this landmark study are extrapolated it means that on any given day about 35 million people visit a doctor and just to give a comparative figure this is equal to the entire population of Canada or the combined population of the big four metros, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai.

What ails India? This is not a rhetorical question seeking a debate on secularism or intolerance but a genuine medical question that has baffled researchers.
Interestingly, there are only guesstimates and well- researched studies have never been undertaken. Now the first results from a doctor-certified database is throwing new light on what really ails India. It seems the toxic air of India is giving breathing difficulties to many Indians.
When results of this landmark study are extrapolated it means that on any given day about 35 million people visit a doctor and just to give a comparative figure this is equal to the entire population of Canada or the combined population of the big four metros, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. Sundeep Salvi, a lead researcher from the Chest Research Foundation, Pune, says, "This is an astounding number of people who are unwell in India."
The researchers report that "of the world's 7.5 billion population in 2015, 1.2 billion people live in India. Around 18 per cent of all global deaths and 20 per cent of loss of global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) occur in India, making it a country with one of the highest disease burdens in the world. Non-communicable diseases have recently overtaken communicable diseases as the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in India".
The new study finds that more than half of the patients who report to medical facilities do so for ailments related to the respiratory system. Extrapolated it could mean that more than half of India finds itself battling breathing and lung related illnesses. A staggering number indeed!