Question : India's Ranking on Health Indicators

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of India''s low ranking in the list of 145 nations, based on the data on factors such as life expectancy and causes of death, received from the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the World Bank;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the reaction of the Government thereto;

(c) whether the country has lagged behind different developing countries including Nepal and Bangladesh in key health indicators, if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government to improve the health standardsin the country

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)
(a) & (b): No such information has been received in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

(c): Certain key health indicators of India in comparison to some developing countries including Nepal and Bangladesh from the publication ‘THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2015’ brought out by UNICEF, are annexed. The reasons for low performance include issues pertaining to adequacy of access and quality of healthcare, affordability, regional disparities, other socio cultural determinants of health etc.

(d): The Government of India under National Health Mission has taken several steps to improve the health standards in the country. These include: promoting institutional deliveries, strengthening of essential and emergency obstetric care services, strengthening referral systems, launching of Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, Integrated Management of Neo-natal & Childhood Illness, engagement of ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activist) in the community level, Navajat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, setting up of sick new born care units at district hospitals, promoting exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding, strengthening routine immunisation programme, focussing on reduction in morbidity and mortality due to acute respiratory infections and diarrhoeal diseases, name based tracking of pregnant women and children, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, strengthening of infrastructure, maternal death review, organising village health and nutrition days, introduction of integrated mother and child health card etc.
………….



ANNEXURE

Certain key health indicators of India and some developing countries
Country Life expectancy at birth ( in years)
2013 Infant mortality rate
2013 Maternal mortality ratio
2013 ( Adjusted)
Underweight (%) under age five years
(2009-2013)
India
66

41 190 44


China 75 11 32 3
Vietnam 76 19 49 12
Bangladesh 71 33 170 37
Nepal 68 32 190 29
Pakistan 67 69 170 32
Sri Lanka 74 8 29 26

Source: THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2015, UNICEF.