West Bengal – Health Statistics

Population: 9,13,47,736 (Census 2011)

Life expectancy at birth: 63.4 years (Census 2011)

Literacy rate: 77.08% (Census 2011)

West Bengal Health Statistics

  • In 2008, there were 1,61,564 cases of non-communicable disease (NCDs) in West Bengal, which included cardio-vascular diseases (hypertension and ischaemic heart disease), stroke, cancers, diabetes, chronic respiratory disorders, etc. Total number of deaths registered was 10,245.
  • In West Bengal more than 75% of the population use some form of tobacco and maximum number of lung cancers are also reported from this state, according to Cancer Foundation of India.
  • In Calcutta doctors report an alarming rise in the numbers — at least two cases of lung cancer in the age group of 16-18 years every month.
  • The average age of smoking in West Bengal is 13 years, according to a Cancer Foundation of India study. More than 57 per cent of the students in Calcutta smoke.
  • Arnab Gupta, one of Calcutta’s leading oncologists, says that about 10% of lung cancer patients treated in his hospital are 18-24 years old. 90% of these cases are detected at an advanced stage when radiation and chemotherapy are the only options of treatment.
  • A recent report on the current trends of public health in West Bengal by the WB Government revealed that 62.4% of NCD deaths were caused by heart diseases and strokes.
  • A cross-sectional survey of a random sample of the population aged ≥ 40 years old of Siliguri by North Bengal Medical College revealed that 11.6% had ischemic heart disease (IHD) and 47.2% had hypertension. About 5% of the patients had asymptomatic IHD. IHD among the study population is significantly associated with hypertension and smoking.
  • The report of The National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health revealed that there is a serious shortage of healthcare resources in West Bengal. Number of human resource (doctors and paramedical staff) was 1.83 per 1000 population which is well below the norm of 2.25 per 1000.
  • 61% of the medical colleges are in the 6 states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, while only 11% are in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal and the north-eastern states.
  • A recent study from West Bengal found that 20.5% of the persons with ischemic heart disease were smokers.
  • A study carried out by the Department of Community Medicine of Midnapore Medical College in Paschim Midnapore found out that in 70.12% of the population who were in the age group of 18-45 years, alcoholism was the main form of addiction.
  • A substantial proportion (22.99%) of individuals exhibited stage 1 (14.72%) and stage 2 (8.27%) hypertension and 39.69% were in pre-hypertensive category. Only 2.66% were on medication.
  • Result also showed that 42.77 and 57.23% individuals were engaged in sedentary and heavy activities respectively. Hypertension is a significant problem in the tribes of Midnapore.
  • According to National Family Health Survey (2007), 6.1% males and 7.1% females were obese in West Bengal.
  • About 30% of the women and 18% of the men in Kolkata are obese.
  • A case-study carried out by the National Urban Diabetes Survey revealed that 11.7% people in Kolkata (which has a population of >44 lakh) were diabetic.
  • Another study carried out by IIT Kharagpur observed that prevalence of diabetes in rural Bengal is in between 3.5% – 5.7%. Three districts of West Bengal have high prevalence of diabetes – Howrah (13.2%), Kolkata (12%) and Burdwan (8.7%). Prevalence is comparatively low in Purulia (2.7%), Bankura (3.0%), Dinajpur East (3.6%) and West (3.5%).

References:

  1. Non-Communicable Diseasewise report on IPD cases and deaths in West Bengal – Govt. of West Bengal, Department of Health & Family Welfare
  2. “Prevalence of ischemic heart disease among urban population of Siliguri” – West Bengal Department of Community Medicine, North Bengal Medical College, Sushrutanagar, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
  3. “Prevalence of ischemic heart disease among urban population of Siliguri, West Bengal” – Department of Cardiology, North Bengal Medical College, Sushrutanagar, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
  4. Emerging Trends in Healthcare – ASSOCHAM
  5. “An epidemiological study of hypertension in an adult tribal population in West midnapore district of West Bengal” – Department of Community Medicine, Midnapore Medical College, Pachim Medinipur
  6. Report of the Working Group on Disease Burden for 12th Five Year Plan (Non-Communicable Diseases) – Govt. of India, Planning Commission
  7. Tobacco use among high school students of West Bengal – Department of Community Medicine, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences & Department of Community Medicine, All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health
  8. Cancer Foundation of India
  9. Some Salient Points in Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence in Rural Bengal – School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
  10. Health and Living Conditions in Eight Indian Cities – National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3)