Life Expectancy: Despite consistent improvement India still lags its neighbours

India has a long way to go before it matches average life expectancy with other Asian countries. According to CIA-The World Fact book, China has the highest life expectancy at 78.32, Malaysia 74.20, Sri lanka 72.40, Indonesia 70.70, and Pakistan 65.50. India has shot up to 62.6 years for males and 64.2 years for females in 2006, as per the report released by the World Health Organization.

So what do these numbers tell us about the health of Indians? Life expectancy at birth is one of the best-known measures of a population’s health status and overall status of the healthcare sector. Life expectancy and overall health of Indians has improved consistently to 62.6 for males and 64.2 for females since Independence.

Tables given below depict a picture of life expectancy at birth, 1901-2006

Longevity Divide
Expectation of life at birth (years) Male Female State Male Female
1901 23.6 24 Kerala 71.4 76.3
1931 26.9 26.6 Punjab 68.4 70.4
1941 32.1 31.4 Himachal Pradesh 66.5 67.3
1951 32.5 31.7 Maharashtra 66.0 68.4
1961 41.9 40.6 Haryana 65.9 66.3
1971 46.4 44.7 Tamil Nadu 65.0 67.4
1980 54.1 54.7 West Bengal 64.1 65.8
1991 58.1 58.6 Karnataka 63.6 67.1
2001 62.3 63.9 Andhra Pradesh 62.9 65.5
2006 62.6 64.2 Gujarat 62.9 65.2
India Ages (Source: Planning Commission) INDIA 62.6 64.2
Bihar 62.2 60.4
  Rajasthan 61.5 62.3
  Uttar Pradesh 60.3 59.5
  Orissa 59.5 59.6
  Assam 58.6 59.3
  Madhya Pradesh 58.1 57.9
Life expectancy at birth (years) 2002-06

Source: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

 

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