New Delhi: In the first ever comprehensive state-level estimates of disease burden and risk factors released by Vice President Venkiah Naidu, Orissa is found to have a higher incidence of several diseases.
The report was prepared by the Indian Council of Medical Research, Union Ministry of Health, the Public Health Foundation of India and the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, and was released jointly by the Vice President, Health Minister JP Nadda and other dignitaries.
According to the government report on disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional diseases (CMNNDs), the DALY rate for diarrhoeal diseases was the highest in Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar in 2016.
The report said that for tuberculosis (TB) the DALY rate was highest in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Assam, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Orissa, while the state was second in the country after West Bengal for the highest number of stroke cases.
Among other worrying factors in the state is the use of unsafe water and sanitation. Orissa was reported to be among the worst three states in this category. The cases of disease due to unsafe water and sanitation were the highest in Jharkhand and Bihar, followed by Orissa in 2016.
The report claims that this is in spite of the special grants the state gets from the Centre as it is in the Empowered Action Group (EAG) states.
As per the report the other alarming disease burden and risks involved in the state are higher incidence of iron-deficiency anaemia, neonatal diseases, impaired kidney function, low mineral density, sexually transmitted diseases and violence.
Manish Kumar/PNN