Poor Health Performance Ranks India Below its Neighbours
In India, diarrhoeal diseases were the top killers in 1990; ischemic heart disease replaced it in 2010. For two decades chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) held second position. The third most common cause of mortality was lower respiratory infections, in 2010 stroke took its place. Diarrhoeal diseases moved to the fourth place followed by TB which is still at the fifth place.
By 2010 the biggest killers for the poorer countries were lower respiratory diseases, malaria and HIV. In the 15-49 age group suicide and TB were the major killers for South Asia, while in China road accidents replaced suicide in the same age group by 2010. Suicide and road injury followed by ischemic heart disease appears to be the main killers in this age group, in developed countries. HIV/AIDS was the biggest killer in Africa in the 15-49 age groups.
In India, among men ‘road injury’ is the main killer in the 15-49 age group whereas among women in this age group suicides are the major cause of death. In the under-five age group among children, preterm birth complications were the main cause of death in India in 2010. Preterm complications along with congenital anomalies are the main killers in many of the developed countries too.
