WCOG 2026 To Focus On Early Detection As Digestive Diseases Change
India is facing a greater challenge in the form of metabolic conditions such as fatty liver disease and colorectal cancer alongside persistent infections such as Helicobacter pylori and intestinal worm infestations, experts said on Tuesday, highlighting the need for greater focus on early detection and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases. The concerns come ahead of the World Congress of Gastroenterology (WCOG) 2026, which will be held for the first time in India from September 30 to October 3 at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, bringing together gastroenterology experts from across the world to discuss the changing burden of digestive diseases.
Experts warn that India is witnessing a growing burden of lifestyle-related gastrointestinal diseases such as fatty liver and colorectal cancer alongside persistent infections.
Experts from AIIMS, Delhi, said improvements in hygiene, vaccination and public health measures have helped reduce several communicable and preventable diseases, but the country is now witnessing a growing burden of metabolic and lifestyle-related gastrointestinal conditions. “India is facing an epidemiological shift at this time. We have made significant strides in controlling preventable disease through awareness, vaccinations and improving quality of life, however alongside these we are now seeing metabolic disease on a scale we have never handled before,” said Dr Pramod Garg, professor and head of the Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition at AIIMS.
A recent study has also reported clinically significant liver fibrosis in one in four patients with type 2 diabetes India included fatty liver disease in its National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases in 2021, followed by guidelines for its detection at the primary-care level.
“The disease is easy to find if we look for it, and we become aware only after the patient falls ill. This is a greater challenge than before –we must move away from only treating diseases; we must now actively promote good health, “Dr Garg said.