~ Women can avail Vitamin D tests at affordable rates across all Apollo Diagnostics centres in India
as part of the #StandStrong initiative by Horlicks Women’s Plus ~
National, 2nd December 2024: Marking the 4th successful year of collaboration with Apollo Health & Lifestyle Limited, Horlicks Women’s Plus has once again joined hands with Apollo Diagnostics, India’s largest diagnostics center and pathology lab, for raising awareness around women’s bone health in India. According to a Mompresso study conducted in 2023, 98% of women in India suffer from body ache and 87% amongst them do not understand the link between body ache and poor bone health. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient to maintain bone health and regular monitoring is necessary to detect its deficiency.
In order to encourage women to undergo early detection of Vitamin D deficiency, under the partnership, Vitamin D tests will be made available across 2000+ Apollo Diagnostic centres and clinics in 200+ cities at pocket-friendly prices. Women across the country can now avail the Vitamin D test at INR 199 instead of the standard costs of INR 1850, making the identification and monitoring of the deficiency more affordable and accessible to a wider audience.
Speaking about the collaboration, Shiva Krishnamurthy, Executive Director of Foods and Refreshment, Hindustan Unilever Limited said, “In India, 9 out of 10 women are Vitamin D deficient$ which causes weak bones and can even lead to serious conditions like osteoporosis. Therefore, driving awareness about bone health is imperative. With this campaign, Horlicks Women’s Plus aims at creating bone health awareness among 30+ year-old women and nudge them to get themselves tested. This is the fourth year of our partnership with Apollo Diagnostics and together, we are committed to drive a culture of preventive healthcare in the country.”
Brand ambassador Taapsee Pannu continues to lend her voice to the cause, inspiring women to maintain their bone health. The campaign aims to reach over 50 Mn++ vulnerable women through multiple touchpoints.
Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group added, “Vitamin D deficiency can significantly impact bone health, leading to issues such as back pain and muscle weakness. Bone health is a critical concern, especially for Indian women, who are at a heightened risk of conditions like osteoporosis. Approximately 49.9% of women in India have osteopenia, while 18.3% are diagnosed with osteoporosis. Our four-year partnership between Apollo Diagnostics and Horlicks Women’s Plus has empowered over 150,000 women by raising awareness and making Vitamin D screening affordable and accessible. Together, we’re committed to prioritizing women’s bone health and overall well-being.”
Records from previous Vitamin D testing camps reveal that 4 out of 5 women in India suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. Women tend to rely on temporary analgesics to get relief from body aches that reduce the perception of pain, but do not solve the problem of Vitamin D deficiency. This underscores the importance of nutritional supplements rich in Vitamin D and calcium to prevent the occurrence of deficiency and maintain bone health.
To bridge this gap and drive a culture of preventive healthcare, Horlicks Women’s Plus and Apollo Diagnostics will not only make diagnosis easier for women across all strata but will also provide free counselling from doctors and samples of Horlicks Women’s Plus products to ensure continued care. This partnership aims to empower women to take charge of their health through accessible, affordable and preventive measures, encouraging early diagnosis and regular monitoring to prevent chronic conditions.
Horlicks Women’s Plus offers a sustainable solution to implement lifestyle changes for long-term benefits as it helps you meet 100% RDA of calcium and Vitamin D and is clinically proven to help improve bone strength in 6 months* and it contains No Added Sugar.