New Delhi, May 15 -- Union Minister of State (I/C) for Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav has called for greater public awareness and community sensitisation on hypertension, warning that changing lifestyles are driving a sharp rise in cases even among the youth.

In a video message at the "Illness to Wellness Conference on Transforming Hypertension Care: Prevention to Wellness", organised ahead of World Hypertension Day 2026, Jadhav described hypertension as a "silent killer" that often progresses without symptoms and can trigger heart attacks and strokes. "In today's time, it is essential that we make our communities more sensitive and aware, and strengthen awareness about hypertension," he said. Jadhav said the government, under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPCDCS), is promoting population-based screening, early detection and treatment through Health and Wellness Centres nationwide.

The conference, organised by the Illness to Wellness Foundation, brought together policymakers, cardiologists and health experts to discuss preventive and wellness-driven approaches to hypertension care.

Rajesh Bhushan, Chairperson of the Governing Council of the foundation, said hypertension was as prevalent in rural India as in urban areas. "Early detection is extremely important because without early detection, early treatment becomes difficult," he said, adding that non-communicable diseases significantly impact GDP across countries.

Anil Rajput said long working hours, poor sleep, sedentary lifestyles and stress were contributing to rising hypertension and lifestyle disorders. Referring to concerns around Artificial Intelligence, he said, "AI should not only be viewed through the lens of automation or job displacement, but also as an opportunity to improve the quality of human life."

Cardiology experts including Ripen Gupta and Rakesh Yadav stressed the need for regular blood pressure monitoring, lifestyle changes, obesity control and adherence to long-term treatment.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.