Himachal Records Highest Life Expectancy In Northern Region

Y.S. Rana

The writer is a Hamirpur based Himachali settled in Chandigarh

Himachal has since 1990 grown marginally faster in number of fields than the rest of country. The hill state now has shown the way in healthy life expectancy across the country especially in the northern region, notes a study-the Lancet. The healthy life expectancy has been more for women than men in the state. For instance, in case of women, the healthy life expectancy has increased from 65.4 years in 1990 to 76.9 years in 2016 thus recording an increase of more than 11 years. In case of men the healthy life expectancy has recorded an increase of seven year during the period. It was 64.2 years in 1990 that has increased to 71.04 years in 2016. Whereas in Punjab healthy life expectancy of women was 64.2 years in 1990 that has increased to 72.2 years in 2016 compared to Haryana’s 62.1 years in 1990 to 71.3 years in 2016.

 In 2016, the top four causes that contributed increase in healthy life expectancy both in men and women of Himachal Pradesh are less air pollution; lower child and maternal malnutrition; less heart diseases and diarrheal diseases. It is observed that in case of Himachal Pradesh people have not changed much in their lifestyle with the present day development. The occurrence of heart diseases is very high in Punjab and Haryana (over 4000 per lakh) while Himachal has less than 2500 per one lakh. The state has also less than 1250 per lakh respiratory ailments.

However, life expectancy improves in the country but lifestyle cutting lives short. The country has made a significant epidemiological transition with lifestyle diseases beginning to cause more death than communicable and nutrition-related ailments. But this shift has been uneven across the country. Several states those are economic laggards left with twin burdens of tackling communicable diseases as well as the threat from lifestyle diseases. Despite all odds against them, women live longer than men. Here biologists say that biology is contributing to this difference in healthy life expectancy. Women have biological advantages that let them live longer, added they.

“Biologically, women are considered stronger and their survival tendencies are better than men. But sociologically, women tend to get treated far less than men in India,” said Dr. Nobhojit Roy, surgeon and public health specialist, BARC Hospital. For Indian men, the fastest-growing causes of health loss between 1990 and 2016 were self-harm, ischemic heart disease and stroke, which increased at rates of 149.9%, 79.9% and 59.8% respectively. While self-harm did not figure among India’s top ten causes of health loss in 1990, it is ranked tenth in men in 2013. Iron-deficiency anaemia, which was ranked ninth in 1990 in men, is no longer the cause of health loss in 2016.

In the case of women, the leading causes of health loss were ischemic heart disease (69%), depressive disorders (66.1%) and stroke (36.8%). Only ischemic heart disease was among the 10 leading causes of health loss for women in 1990. What is more heartening is that the life expectancy for the country has undergone a significant change from 49.7 years in 1970-75 to 68.3 years in 2014-15. The report also reveals that females are likely to live longer in both rural and urban areas across India. In 2011-15, the life expectancy of an Indian female at 70 years was higher by three years than of a male’s 66.9 years, the report points out.

Four Contributing Factors

The top four factors that contributed to increase in healthy life expectancy both in men and women of Himachal Pradesh are:

* Less Air Pollution l Lower Child and Maternal Malnutrition

* Less Heart Diseases l Less Diarrheal Diseases

Urban, Rural Gap Narrows Down

The gap between the rural and urban life expectancy has also narrowed during the same period. Kerala has recorded the highest life expectancy at birth for males and females in rural areas, Himachal Pradesh has recorded the highest life expectancy at birth for males in urban areas and Jammu & Kashmir for females in urban areas. The lowest life expectancy at birth has been recorded in Madhya Pradesh for rural males and Uttar Pradesh for rural females.

Women Have Higher Life Expectancy

State                            Life Expectancy (in years)     

                                          1990                2016   

                        Males   Females            Males   Females

Himachal Pradesh         64.2     65.4     71.04   76.9

Punjab                            62.2     64.2     68.0     72.2

Haryana                         60.1     62.1     65.04   71.3

Himachal-o-Meter

The state’s ups and downs this week

Himachal Gets ‘Wellness Destination Of The Year’ Award

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has been once again judged as one of the best tourist destinations. The hill state was decorated with Wellness Destination of the Year award at India International Travel Mart organised in Hyderabad. The three day mart organised witnessed participation of various states including Himachal Pradesh. Besides tourism departments and corporations of various states, renowned travel agencies of the country also participated in this mart. The tourism department and corporations of various states exhibited the facilities and destinations are on offer for tourism in their respective state at present. It included trekking, mountaineering, jungle camping, wildlife, eco-tourism, golf resorts, skiing and other adventure activities. But it was Himachal Pradesh that grabbed the Wellness Destination of the Year award. Nand Lal Sharma, AGM, Tourism Corporation received the award on behalf of the state.

Three Jail Inmates Escape From Shimla Jail

Shimla: Three jail inmates charged with serious crimes escaped from Model Central Jail, Kanda, Shimla. All three are of Nepali origin and were charged with rape, abduction and murder cases in Kullu, Shimla and Kinnaur. They escaped after breaking iron rods of the barrack and climbed up the campus wall with the help of pipes and fled away. The preliminary investigation revealed the negligence in security arrangements. The jail administration has suspended two police cops in this case and the responsibility of inquiring the matter has been handed over to Superintendent of Police, Jails. Notably, a total of 28 under trial jail inmates were housed in Barrack No 4 of Kanda jail. The incident has put serious questions on the security of jails. The role of the jail staff also has come under the scanner as no one heard any sound or noticed anything unusual in the barrack.

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