New Delhi, Feb. 24 -- India is navigating a major epidemiological transition. Chronic diseases are rising sharply, driven by a mix of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioural factors. From middle age onwards, non-communicable diseases emerge as the dominant health challenge. Today, nearly 75% of older adults live with at least one chronic condition, and about 23% live with multiple co-morbidities.

People living with chronic conditions often have a compromised immune system. Persistent inflammation, metabolic stress, long-term treatment for diseases such as cancer, and the use of immunosuppressive medications, such as corticosteroids, can weaken immune defences, making it harder for the body to fight infections that healthie...