Faisalabad Initiative of Research and Management of NCDs

The burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) continues to rise globally, and they have become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, accounting for over 70% of deaths worldwide¹. Rapid lifestyle transitions and increasing urbanization have disproportionately affected low- and middle-income countries, which now bear a substantial share of the global NCD burden.

Pakistan, with a population of 241.5 million, is experiencing a double burden of both communicable diseases and NCDs¹³. The widespread adoption of sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy dietary patterns has contributed to a marked increase in NCDs across the country².

According to the WHO Hypertension profile 2025, it is the most prevalent NCD in Pakistan, affecting approximately 42% (41% males and 44% females) of the population¹¹, followed by diabetes, with a reported prevalence of 30.8%¹². Additionally, a recent cross-sectional study among adults attending a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad reported dyslipidemia in 71.6% of men and 78.4% of women, indicating a substantial underlying community burden³. Pakistan also ranks tenth among 188 countries in terms of overweight and obesity prevalence, with nearly half of its population classified as overweight or obese⁴. According to World Health Organization data, 58.1% of Pakistanis are overweight, and 43.9% fall within the obese category⁴.

Despite their profound public health and economic implications, efforts to address NCDs remain fragmented and insufficient.17 There remains a significant research gap in community-based NCD screening initiatives, particularly within the suburban and peri-urban communities of Faisalabad creating an unmet need to initiate a preventive strategy at community level to raise awareness about these diseases. This direction will minimize the increasing incidence and prevalence of NCDs and will ensure the quality health outcomes for better future.

Timely identification of these diseases through screening is a critical step in reducing their impact on individuals and societies. Early detection enables cost-effective management, improved patient outcomes and a higher quality of life.14 One of the most important ways of reducing deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is to control the risk factors that lead to their development.6 In this context, the present study aims to evaluate a community-based project focusing on disease awareness, screening, and structured referral to trained treating physicians for early diagnosis and management of major NCDs. The findings are expected to inform scalable, evidence-based interventions to reduce NCD burden and improve population health outcomes in Pakistan.