Early Disease Program (EDP) is an universal concept with no barriers of country or disease. The cornerstones of EDP are Detection, Intervention and Monitoring. The emphasis is not just on detection but on intervention, both in the form of drugs or lifestyle changes, and regular, simple monitoring. The success of the program lies in its simplicity and cost effectiveness. Though used to tackle infectious diseases, it can be extended to any medical problem.
With the average life-span going up, there has been a dramatic rise in the incidence of chronic problems such as diabetes melitus, hypertension, cardio-vascular and kidney diseases. According to the World Health Organisation, India is the world’s diabetes capital with the number of diabetics expected to reach 79.4 million by 2030 from 31.7 million in 2000. It is much the same in the case of hypertension too. Both these problems lead to cardio-vascular and chronic kidney diseases. It would be impossible for even a developed nation to tackle the burden of chronic diseases on such a scale. It is estimated that by 2030, the US would spend 20% of it’s GDP on health care.
Sapiens Health Foundation planned to propagate the concept of EDP widely. Specific guidelines for detection, intervention and monitoring would be evolved for major chronic problems such as diabetes melitus, hypertension, cardio-vascular and kidney diseases. Chronic diseases tend to be detected late mainly because of body adaptation leading to absence of early symptoms. But by the time the symptoms emerge, the patient usually requires complicated and costly medical treatment. The problem is universal, with no correlation between the level of education and the patient approaching the doctor.
Hence, the need to popularize the concept of EDP. Sapiens Health Foundation has launched EDP on 15th March 2009, with this vision in mind.