Indicators of Health: A Study of Gujarat State

 

Satyam S. Ratnam

Research Assistant, Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Gandhingar, Gujarat State

 

ABSTRACT:

Health care is important for healthy productive labour and public welfare so that the goals of population stability can be achieved by taking into account issues such as child survival, safe mothers and contraception. The state has seen a significant improvement in health indicators such as birth rate, mortality rate, fertility rate, maternal mortality rate, infant mortality rate over the years. Analysing the table and diagram given here, it is clear that during 1971 to 2017, the birth rate (per thousand) has decreased by 20.1, mortality rate by 10.2 and child mortality rate by 114. However, the total Fertility rate has decreased by 3.4 during the period 1971 to 2016. In terms of maternal mortality ratio, there has been a decrease of 298 during the period 1992 to 2016 (one lakh live births). In addition, this study shows that the expected life expectancy rate for males and females was 62.4, 64.4 years during the period 1998-02, which increased to 67.4, 71.8 years during the period 2012-16 respectively. That is, the expected life expectancy rates for males and females increased by 5 and 7.4 years from 1998 to 2016 respectively. All of this represents a positive improvement in the health indicators that need to be addressed.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

The state of Gujarat aims to be a model state on all fronts of human development. This requires that every person in the state without discrimination:

* Become literate and healthy

* Have a shelter and a clean environment,

* Access to drinking water and sanitation,

* Gains profitable employment,

* To be able to live without fear,

* All get equal opportunities.

Among the above mentioned goals, here we talk about the public health of the state of Gujarat. Public health services in rural Gujarat are divided into three parts namely, Sub Center, Primary Health Centre and Community Health Centre. These features are distributed based on population and geographical conditions. These levels vary not only in terms of population, but also in the form of services offered at the centre.

 

There has been a steady increase in the quantity and quality of health services in the state. During the year 2018-19, 367.70 lakh patients were treated in the state while 27.24 lakh patients were treated indoor by Government Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centres. The number of outdoor and indoor patients being treated in the state has increased. So the Gujarat state has seen significant improvement in health indicators from 1971.

 

OBJECTIVES:

1.      To know about the key indicators of health.

2.      To know the improvement made in these directors in the Gujarat state.

3.      To know the difference between Indicator's improvement during the period 1971-91 (20 years) and 1991-11 (20 years).

4.      To know the latest status of these directors in the state of Gujarat.

 

PERIOD OF STUDY:

There has been taken Data for the year of 1971, 1991, 2011 and 2017 in this study.

 

DATA COLLECTION:

There has been taken the secondary Data in this study. There are three Data sources: (1) Socio-Economic Review, Gujarat State, 2018-19 (2) Socio-Economic Review, Gujarat State, 2012-13 (3) http:// www.censusindia.gov.in

 

 

DATA ANALYSIS:

Gujarat State -  Selected Health Indicators
S.No.	Particular	1971	1991	2011	Current Level
1	Crude Birth Rate (CBR)	40	27.5	21.3	19.9
	(Per 1000 population)				(SRS 2017)
2	Crude Death Rate (CDR)	16.4	8.5	6.7	6.2
	(Per 1000 population)				(SRS 2017)
3	Total Fertility Rate (TFR)	5.6	3.1	2.4	2.2
					(SRS 2016)
4	Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) (Per lakh live births)	-	389 (1992-93)	148 (SRS 2007-09)	91 (SRS 2014-16)
5	Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) (Per ‘000  live births)	144	69	41	30 (SRS 2017)
6	Current Contraceptive Use Any Method (%)	-	49.3 (NFHS-I)	66.6 (NFHS-III)	66.6 (NFHS-III) 46.9 (NFHS-IV)
7	Life Expectancy at Birth
	1. MALE	NA	62.4	64.9	67.4
	2. FEMALE	NA	64.4 (1998-02) MoHFW	69.0 (20006-10)	71.8 (2012-16) SRS Baseline

Source: (1) Socio-Economic Review, Gujarat State, 2018-19 and 2012-13

(2) http://www.censusindia.gov.in/vital_statistics/SRS_Report/10Chap%203%20-%202011.pdf

SRS = Sample Registration System

NFHS= National Family Health Survey

MoHFW= Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

 

This study shows that, the availability, convenience and quality of health services and medical treatment are constantly increasing in the state of Gujarat. This has resulted in significant improvement in health indicators in the state. The above cited Diagram shows the Birth and Death rate on the vertical axis and the year on the horizontal axis. In the Diagram, AA' is the 'Total Birth Rate Curve', while BB' is the Curve of Total Death Rate. It is clear from the above table as well as the diagram that, the Birth rate, Death rates and Infant Mortality rate in the state are Decreased from 21.3 (SRS 2011) to 19.9 (SRS 2017), 6.7 (SRS 2011) to 6.2 (SRS 2017), 41 (SRS 2011) to 30 (SRS 2017) respectively. While Maternal Mortality rate also dropped significantly from 148 (SRS 20007-09) to 91 (SRS 2014-16). However, the Birth rate and Death rate in the state has declined rapidly during the years 1971 to 1991, while in the period of 1991 to 2011, the Birth rate and Death rate have gradually decreased and in the subsequent years there has been a slow decline. Overall, the decline in these important indicators of health in the state indicates a significant improvement in the indicators of health and this improvement is attributed to various government health schemes.

 

CONCLUSION:

The state of Gujarat is at the forefront of creating and maintaining good hygiene infrastructure at various levels. During the year 2018-19, there were 362 Community Health Centres, 1475 Primary Health Centres and 9231 Sub-Centres.

 

During the year 2018-19, 367.70 lakh patients were treated as outdoor, while 27.24 lakh patients were treated as indoor by the Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centres of Gujarat state.

 

Both of the above are positive factors that improve the health indicators in the state. From this study it can be said that since 1971, there has been continuous improvement in the key indicators of health in Gujarat state. But the most important point observed in this study is that, the birth rate, Death rate, Fertility rate, Maternal Mortality rate, Infant Mortality etc. have been decreased more rapid during the 20 years of 1971 to 1991 than 1991 to 2011. The declines have gone down. The process of declining continues till today. Which is the important part to make the Gujarat state as true Model State.

 

REFERENCES:

I.     Socio-Economic Review, Gujarat State, 2018-19

II.    Socio-Economic Review, Gujarat State, 2012-13

III.  http://www.censusindia.gov.in

 

 

 

 

 

Received on 26.10.2019        Modified on 18.11.2019

Accepted on 10.12.2019      ©A&V Publications All right reserved