Question : CONTAGIOUS AND NON-CONTAGIOUS DISEASES

(a) whether a large number of people die due to various contagious and noncontagious diseases in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise;

(c) the measures taken/proposed by the Government to overcome this situation;

(d) whether the Government has carried out any study/assessment to ascertain the impact of such diseases in the country; and

(e) if so, the details alongwith the findings thereof?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)

(a) & (b): According to a “Report on Causes of Death in India 2001-2003” which is based on survey undertaken by the Registrar General of India, non- communicable diseases are the leading causes of death in the country constituting 42% of all deaths. Communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions constitute another 38 % of deaths. Injuries and ill-defined causes constitute 10% of deaths each.

(c): Government of India has initiated various diseases control programmes to tackle both contagious and non-contagious disease. Under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), States & UTs are being supported for improving the Primary Health Care System to better respond to the challenges.

To address the non-communicable diseases, a National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke has been initiated at an estimated outlay of Rs.1230.90 crore for the remaining period of the 11th Five Year Plan.

(d) & (e): To ascertain the impact of tuberculosis in the country many surveys and studies have been undertaken. There was one large scale study in the country on prevalence of tuberculosis infection in children, from the year 2000 to 2003 in which representative samples from 4 zones in the country were taken. From these studies the probability of acquiring of new TB infection over a period of one year (Annual risk of tuberculosis Infection-ARTI) was calculated at 1.5% at the country level.

However, no recent study has been undertaken by Government of India on the spread of the non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke etc.