AMN /
Union Health Ministry today released the National Health Profile, which provides comprehensive information related to health sector. The NHP focuses on key information regarding the nation’s overall health status, financing, infrastructure and human resources in health. Speaking at the launch of the National Health Profile in New Delhi, Health Minister J P Nadda said the future course of direction, strengths and weaknesses in the health sector can be gauged by the data in the National Health Profile.
Speaking on the occasion, B P Sharma, Secretary (Health) stated that data is not only important for understanding the health indicators of the country, but it also provides an opportunity to monitor the situation. He said that the National Health Profile – 2015 indicates that significant progress has been made in the country for various health outcomes, which is an encouraging signal.
According to the latest data available, estimated birth rate declined from 25.8 in 2000 to 21.6 in 2012 while the death rate declined from 8.5 to 7.0 per 1000 population. Maternal mortality ratio is highest in Assam, with 300 per one lakh live births and the lowest in Kerala, with 61 per one lakh live births. Infant mortality rate in the country has come down by nearly 50 percent during 1990 to 2012, with the present level being 42 per 1000 live births.
The malaria death rate in the country was 0.09 deaths per lakh population in 2000 which has come down to 0.04 deaths per lakh population in 2012. Prevalence rate of TB in India has come down from 465 per one lakh population in 1990 to 249 in 2011 per one lakh population.
The National Health Profile highlights substantial health information under six major indicators viz. Demographic indicators giving information about population statistics and vital statistics, Socio-economic indicators which gives the information on Education, Social Indicators, Economic indicators, Employment, Housing and Amenities, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Health Status Indicators which provide information about the incidence and prevalence of common Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases, Reproductive and Child Health according to States/UTs and a short overview of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardio-vascular Disease and Stroke (NPCDCS). The Health Finance provides an overview of Public Expenditure on Health, Household Out of Pocket Expenditure (Oop) on Health, Health Coverage and Insurance, External Assistance to Government for Health Sector Programmes and Public Expenditure on Health with International Comparison along with Explanatory notes on Health Data. The section on Human Resources provides an overview of availability of manpower working in the Health Sector, while Health Infrastructure provides details of Medical and Dental Colleges, AYUSH Institutes, Nursing Courses and Paramedical Courses, Admissions to BDS and MDS Courses.
Also present at the release function were DGHS, Dr Jagdish Prasad, Special DGHS, Dr. B D Athani, Director (CBHI), Dr. Madhu Raikwar, and senior officers of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and CBHI.