Life expectancy has increased by 5 years in the past decade

     New Delhi, January 28, 2014: The health indicators across the country have shown significant improvements, Government of India sources said today.

     The life expectancy has also increased by 5 years in the past decade. What used to be 62.3 years for male and 63.9 years for female in 2001-2005 is now 67.3 years for male and 69.6 years for female in 2011-2015.

     There has been reduction in new HIV cases by as much as 57 per cent.

      Infant Mortality Rate has come down to 42 in 2012 from 58 per 1000 live births in the year 2005. Maternal Mortality Ratio has declined from 301 per 100,000 live births in 2001-03 to 212 in 2007-09.

      ″The pace of decline has shown an increasing trend from 4.1 per cent annual rate of decline during 2001-03 to 5.5 per cent in 2004-06 and further to 5.8 per cent in 2007-09,″ the sources said.

     Total Fertility Rate has come down to 2.4 in 2011 from 2.9 in 2005.

     Adding a new feather in the cap is declaration of India as Polio Free Nation. On the 13th January, 2014, India made history by completing three years without a single case of wild polio. This feat was unimaginable till 2009, when India accounted for more than half of the global polio burden.

     The appreciable developments in the healthcare sector are attributable to the strengthening of the health infrastructure in the country, and a focused approach by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

     The Government has increased budget outlay by 335 per cent to Rs 3 lakh crore in 12th Plan for healthcare to achieve universal and inclusive healthcare for all citizens.

     Moreover, under the National Health Mission (NHM) there are two subcomponents namely National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) which aim to provide accessible, affordable and quality health care to the rural as well as urban population.