Non-communicable diseases viewed as “collateral damage” of our decisions: Fixing accountabilities and finding sloutions in primary care settings

In the changing global socio-economic and epidemiological landscapes, non communicable diseases (NCDs) are affecting the health and wellbeing of populations. The burden is worse among people in low- and middle-income countries with more than 32 million deaths attributable to NCDs each year. This scenario can be explained through the concept of collateral damage, where intentional actions often lead to adverse consequences alongside the primary outcomes. Thus, NCDs can be viewed as collateral damage of unplanned urbanization, rapid globalization, fast pace of life etc., In addition, a lack of appropriate public health approaches has aggravated the situation. It is essential to build a collaborative approach engaging public health agencies to ensure that the developmental initiatives are without the threat of collateral damages and are people-friendly. This will help in reducing the burden of NCDs in primary care settings.