Despite simple surgical cure, sleep apnea continues to take a toll on India’s GDP

Untreated sleep apnea imposes a staggering macroeconomic toll, likely exceeding ₹2-3 lakh crore annually, was the emergent consensus on the sidelines of ISSS 2026. Chaired by Dr. Vikas Agrawal, widely considered ‘the father of sleep surgery’ in India, the conference emphasized that “sleep apnea is fully treatable,” and that this GDP loss is salvageable if insurance could cover all modalities of sleep apnea surgery. Justice Chandrachud inaugurated the conference via VC. Also present were Padma Shri Milind Kirtane, Padma Shri Mohan Kameswaran, and Dr. Maria Suurna, President of the International Surgical Sleep Society. 

The cost estimate is on account of lost productivity, workplace accidents, and excess mortality. It builds on India’s 1.4 billion population and working-age demographics in the following ways:

• One-third of India’s population suffers from sleep apnea. Another AIIMS study talks about  104 million working-age Indians affected by it.
• Untreated cases drive 77% productivity drops and 13 extra sick days yearly per worker, per global benchmarks applicable to India’s labor force. 40% of India’s road accidents are also tied to poor sleep.
• For medical residents on 80-hour weeks, error rates mimic drunk driving, while pilots and drivers compound chain-reaction failures like the 2023 Mumbai crane collapse (6 deaths).

Extrapolating to over 100 million cases, the lifetime productivity loss per person (wages foregone, absenteeism) alone tallies ₹1-2 lakh crore yearly. Add to this lifetime costs like cardiovascular disease and other NCDs and the cost rises even further.

“ It’s not just the economic cost. It is also the quality of life cost of sleep apnea. My colleagues and I are raising awareness that nose block, snoring and sleep apnea are life threatening if not treated. These symptoms should not be ignored. Modern techniques such as in-clinic CT scans, sleep studies and sleep endoscopy allow precise identification of the problem. The procedure is a day-care one, painless, bloodless and even child friendly,” added Dr Vikas Agrawal.