India’s NCD Program Includes Patient Voices

Why this is here: Over the past decade, movements like the NCD Alliance’s Our Views, Our Voices have supported efforts to include patient input in health policy around the world.

Researchers with HRIDAY and the Healthy India Alliance in India found that including people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) improves health programs. NCDs—like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes—are increasing worldwide, especially in lower-income countries. The study examined how India successfully integrated the perspectives of patients into its national NCD program, learning from approaches used with HIV and tuberculosis.

This involved building patient capacity and influencing policy through a national advocacy agenda. India is now a leading example for other countries, influencing health policies in Southeast Asia and gaining attention in global forums like the Group of Twenty. The work emphasizes the need for health systems to focus more on patient needs and community leadership.

This was a practice paper summarizing lessons learned, not a controlled experiment. It’s unclear how broadly these findings apply to other healthcare systems or the extent to which patient involvement directly improves health outcomes. Further research should explore how to best scale these approaches and measure their impact on patient care.