Mumbai, Feb 9 : Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday said that thyroid disorders are a national concern linked to productivity, demographics and nation building.

Dr Singh urged the Indian Thyroid Society and the wider medical fraternity to intensify awareness, research collaboration and early detection, according to an official statement.

The minister told the endocrinologists at a conference of the Indian Thyroid Society that undiagnosed thyroid conditions, particularly hypothyroidism, reduce energy levels, workforce efficiency and long-term output in a country where over 70 per cent of the population are aged under 40 years.

As around 42 million Indians are living with thyroid disorders, Singh said the scale of the challenge demands proportionate research attention and public health response.

He called for stronger multidisciplinary coordination across life sciences, medical sciences, and allied sectors to address thyroid disorders in a comprehensive manner, adding that medical issues of this magnitude cannot be left to a single domain and require wider societal awareness and institutional collaboration.

Hypothyroidism affects nearly 11 per cent of adults and many remain undiagnosed. Undetected hypothyroidism in pregnancy causes congenital hypothyroidism and irreversible neurodevelopmental harm in children.

Further, the minister highlighted the Biopharma Shakti Mission, Indiaâ??s biotech advances and the establishment of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and a Rs 1 lakh crore Research Development and Innovation framework to strengthen research with private and philanthropic participation.

He cited Indiaâ??s progress in biotechnology, including the development of the countryâ??s first indigenously-developed antibiotic effective against resistant infections, successful gene therapy trials for haemophilia, and the rollout of the DNA vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

/IANS