Revised Guidelines and Training Module Unveiled to Combat Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Addressing the event, Shri Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary, highlighted India's proactive stance in recognizing NAFLD as a significant public health issue.

The Union Health Ministry of India unveiled the revised Operational Guidelines and Training Module for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) today, aimed at improving patient care and health outcomes through evidence-based practices. The new documents were launched during a session attended by key health officials and experts.

NAFLD’s Growing Impact on Public Health

Addressing the event, Shri Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary, highlighted India's proactive stance in recognizing NAFLD as a significant public health issue. "NAFLD is rapidly emerging as a major concern, closely linked with metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. With prevalence rates indicating that 1 to 3 out of 10 people may have NAFLD, the disease's impact is substantial," Shri Chandra remarked.

He emphasized that the revised guidelines reflect the Union Health Ministry's commitment to addressing the growing burden of NAFLD, which is intricately linked to various non-communicable diseases (NCDs). "These guidelines will serve as a comprehensive framework for healthcare workers at all levels, from community health workers to medical officers," he noted. Shri Chandra also stressed the need for a continuum of care for individuals diagnosed with NAFLD and urged the importance of lifestyle modifications to help curb the disease’s prevalence.

NAFLD and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at the Union Health Ministry, emphasized the need for these guidelines to reach grassroots-level workers, where early detection is critical in reducing NAFLD’s burden. She highlighted the importance of building capacity among healthcare professionals across the country to manage the rising burden of NCDs, which account for more than 66% of deaths in India.

Dr. S.K. Sarin, Director of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), hailed the release of these documents as a crucial step, predicting their positive outcomes in the coming years. He highlighted the strong link between liver health and many other NCDs, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, underscoring the significance of maintaining liver health as a cornerstone for overall well-being.

India’s NAFLD Epidemic

NAFLD, often referred to as a silent epidemic, has community prevalence rates ranging from 9% to 32% depending on age, gender, region, and socio-economic status. India, which contributes significantly to global NCD statistics, is the first country to incorporate NAFLD into its National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs (NPCDCS), doing so in 2021. The revised guidelines come at a crucial time when there is a dire need to provide updated information and evidence-based interventions to healthcare providers for NAFLD prevention and management.

Multidisciplinary Approach and Healthcare Training

The guidelines focus on health promotion and early detection, two essential components in ensuring that patients with NAFLD receive timely and appropriate care. They advocate for a multidisciplinary approach, integrating healthcare providers from various fields to deliver holistic care. The revised Training Module complements these guidelines by equipping healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to identify, manage, and prevent NAFLD, particularly at the primary care level.

The training module addresses topics such as NAFLD’s epidemiology, risk factors, screening, diagnostic protocols, and standardized treatment guidelines. It also emphasizes the importance of early detection, patient education, lifestyle modification, and integrated care strategies to improve health outcomes.

Leadership and Collaboration

Key figures attending the launch event included Shri Jaideep Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser at the Health Ministry, Smt. L.S. Changsan, Additional Secretary, and Smt. Latha Ganapathy, Joint Secretary, along with senior officials from the Union Health Ministry.

Representatives from all 36 States/UTs, as well as experts from leading healthcare institutions such as WHO, ILBS, AIIMS, CMC Vellore, JIPMER, SGPGIMS, PGIMER, and RML Hospital, also joined the meeting virtually, underscoring the wide-ranging collaboration aimed at combating NAFLD across India.

A Path Forward for Tackling NAFLD

The launch of these revised guidelines marks a significant step forward in addressing NAFLD, a growing public health concern with implications for liver health and other metabolic disorders. By building capacity at all levels of healthcare and fostering a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach, India is positioning itself as a global leader in the fight against NAFLD and NCDs more broadly.