KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 28 Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now account for 71 percent of patients in Nepal, health officials said on Friday, underscoring a growing public health crisis driven by poor lifestyle choices, environmental pollution and weak preventive systems. The figure was reiterated by the Ministry of Health and Population in Madhes Province during a public awareness programme organised by the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) in Janakpur, which focused on the role of safe drinking water in reducing non-communicable diseases. Presenting data at the event, Dr Bipin Kumar Jha, head of the Health Division at the provincial ministry, said the number of patients suffering from NCDs is increasing on a daily basis and has already surpassed the burden of communicable diseases. He identified heart disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory illnesses as the most prevalent conditions. Dr Jha attributed the surge largely to the consumption of contaminated and substandard food, polluted air and water, unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles. He stressed that without urgent improvements in dietary habits and daily physical activity, the burden of NCDs will continue to rise, particularly in Madhes Province. The discussion also exposed systemic challenges in the public health response. Umesh Yadav, head of the Public Health Office in Dhanusha, said effective control of chronic diseases requires stronger coordination between government and non-government agencies, but warned that budget cuts have constrained the delivery of basic health services. Adding an alternative perspective, Dhanusha Ayurveda Hospital Chief Dr Rudra Narayan Thakur said integrating Ayurvedic treatment with yoga and meditation could help manage chronic illnesses. He claimed Ayurveda is gradually strengthening its capacity to address complex health conditions, though such approaches remain underutilised in mainstream healthcare. Meanwhile, Bimal Dahal, head of the DFTQC office in Janakpur, emphasised that access to clean and quality food is fundamental to public health. He said the department routinely monitors food hygiene, prevents the circulation of substandard food products and conducts laboratory testing, but acknowledged that enforcement alone cannot offset broader lifestyle and environmental risks. The programme was attended by women's groups, social workers and officials from various wards of Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City. (With inputs from RSS)