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India ranks amongst the 51 countries which have shown a slow decline in reducing infant mortality rate and maternal mortality ratio, according to the World Health Report – 2005 released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Stating this in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today, the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss informed the House that the National Population Policy – 2000 and the National Health Policy – 2002 have laid down goals for bringing down the infant mortality rate to less than 30 per 1,000 live births and maternal mortality ratio to less 100 per 100,000 live births by the year 2010. Malnutrition is also a challenge occurring due to the factors like poverty, lack of nutritional awareness, unsafe drinking water, sanitation, etc.
The Minister said that the number of cancer patients in India is 2 to 2.5 million which includes 7 to 9 lakh new cases every year. The prevalence of hypertension is 5 to 10 per cent amongst the adult populations of rural and urban areas respectively. Similarly, the prevalence of diabetes is 3 to 5 and 8 to 9 per cent in rural and urban areas respectively. As far as TB is concerned, 1.8 million new cases arise every year of which 0.8 million are smear positive infectious cases responsible for spread of the disease.
Stating that 80 per cent of health services were in the private sector, the Minister further informed the House that the Government has recently launched the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) which aims to tackle health problems in a holistic manner. While the Mission is applicable to the entire country, it has its special focus on 18 States which have poor health and demographic indicators.
EK/BKS/MK.
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