Guwahati: With India's young workforce facing an unprecedented surge in early cardiac issues, top-tier healthcare provider Medanta-The Medicity has announced plans to scale its "Mission Save Heart" campaign to tier-2 and tier-3 cities starting with Guwahati. The initiative was formally launched on June 21 in the city, alongside the announcement of a full-fledged Medanta super-specialty hospital and medical college coming up in Guwahati within the next two to three years.
“India is seeing more heart attacks among adults aged 40 to 69 with Assam now showing worrying trends,” said Dr. R. R. Kasliwal, Chairman, Clinical & Preventive Cardiology, Cardiac Care, Medanta, Gurugram, in an exclusive interview with Business North East (BNE).
“Mission Save Heart aims to not only create awareness but also deliver care that reaches beyond metros, especially in cities like Guwahati where timely diagnosis is rare,” he added.
According to the Global Burden of Disease Report, cardiovascular diseases are now responsible for 1.7 million deaths annually in India, with nearly one-fourth of all diseases in the country stemming from cardiac conditions. Alarmingly, Indians are experiencing heart attacks almost a decade earlier than their Western counterparts, a trend particularly pronounced among working professionals aged 30–45.
Dr. Kasliwal warned that the interconnected “4 Hs” - Heart Attack, Hypertension, Heart Failure, and Heart Muscle Disease (Cardiomyopathy) are now occurring silently and systemically due to poor lifestyle practices, especially in youth who often ignore early symptoms.
"People think heart disease is only for the elderly or that symptoms are always dramatic. This myth is dangerous. Sleep apnea, snoring, prolonged screen use, sedentary lifestyle, processed diets — these are real, silent triggers,” he said.
“We don’t need expensive gyms. We need to walk, eat wisely, sleep well, and de-stress. That’s the real preventive strategy, not tests or pills at first," he added.
Dr. Kasliwal further revealed during the interview with BNE that Medanta will establish a new hospital and teaching institute in Guwahati in next three years, expanding the brand’s presence in East and Northeast India. The facility will offer 25 specialties, not just cardiac care, and include DNB-accredited courses for cardiology, neurosurgery, and other key streams.
“This is not just a heart institute. This will be a full-fledged Medanta campus — clinical, academic, community-focused and corporate awareness drives to address root lifestyle factors — poor diet, stress, lack of exercise, and sleep disorders. Guwahati will anchor our outreach in the Northeast,” he confirmed.
He added, "the group currently operates hospitals in Gurugram, Indore, Patna, Ranchi, and Lucknow, with a Noida facility under construction. Guwahati would mark its first institutional entry into the Northeast, offering over 30 specialties and integrated academic programs."
The campaign launched in Guwahati is part of Medanta’s pan-India heart health movement. Medanta team is already setting up screening camps and training local professionals, with potential public-private partnerships under exploration with the Assam government.
“We want to go where the problem is growing fastest — small towns like Guwahati. It’s not about affordability alone. It’s about awareness,” said Dr. Kasliwal.
“People think cardiac symptoms are dramatic. But many heart failures happen silently — especially in sleep apnea cases. This needs to be corrected through mass education.”
Children are being fed saturated fats from a young age. Parents want ‘chubby cheeks’ instead of strong hearts. This must change and it starts with school awareness,” Dr. Kasliwal emphasized.
“We’re open to working with the Assam government, and our team on the ground is ready to support awareness camps wherever needed. This is a starting point, not a one-day event,” he added.
India’s preventive healthcare market is projected to reach $197 billion by 2030, driven by urban fatigue, sedentary jobs, and rising chronic illnesses in the under-45 population.
Medanta’s Northeast foray could also open doors for med-tech collaborations, especially with local startups focused on wearables, telemedicine, and AI-based risk assessment tools.
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“Digital tools, community health workers, and low-cost diagnostics are going to be key. We’re not here to replicate a metro model, we’re here to localize it,” said Dr. Kasliwal, hinting at possible future CSR-health-tech partnerships and school-level heart education modules.
Medanta’s “Mission Save Heart” marks more than just a health drive it’s a strategic pivot toward Tier-II India.
As heart health becomes an economic issue impacting productivity, insurance costs, and public health spending it’s clear that cardiology is no longer just a clinical field it’s a workforce, productivity, and public finance issue. And Medanta is betting on Guwahati to lead the shift.
“We’ve seen India conquer many crises. We can overcome this one too but we must stop overlooking the signs. Don’t just run after treatment. Fix the lifestyle. Prioritize prevention,” Dr. Kasliwal concluded.
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