24% deaths in Delhi due to infectious, parasitic diseases: Report
What's the story
Infectious and parasitic diseases accounted for nearly 24% of total deaths in Delhi last year, a report by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics has shown. The Medical Certification of Cause of Deaths (MCCD) Report 2023 stated that out of the total 88,628 deaths in the national capital, nearly 21,000 were due to these diseases. Cholera, diarrhea, tuberculosis, and hepatitis B were some examples.
Health concern
Rise in institutional deaths due to cancer
The MCCD Report 2023 also noted a sharp increase in institutional deaths due to cancer and related diseases. The number of such cases jumped to around 6,054 in 2023, a nearly 12% increase from last year's 5,409. The report further shed light on the causes of institutional deaths among infants. Slow fetal growth, fetal malnutrition, and immaturity were identified as the leading causes, accounting for a total of 1,517 cases.
Age factor
Institutional deaths highest among 45-64 age group
Other significant contributors to infant mortality included pneumonia (1,373 cases), septicaemia (1,109 cases), and respiratory conditions like hypoxia and birth asphyxia (704 cases). The MCCD Report 2023 also shed light on the age distribution of institutional deaths. The most deaths due to institutional causes were reported among those aged between 45 and 64 years. There were also 26,096 deaths among those aged 65 years and above, comprising nearly one-third (29.44%) of all such deaths.