Increasing Cases of Infectious Diseases as Well as Lifestyle Disorders in Mumbai

Lifestyle disorders like hypertension, heart disease, diabetes as well as infectious diseases like malaria, dengue show an increase in Mumbai, India. In 2014-2015, tuberculosis, hypertension and diabetes have emerged as top killers in Mumbai. // NGO Praja Foundation released the 'State of Health of Mumbai' report which shows that a significant number of people from productive age groups have died of absolutely treatable and preventable diseases.

Of the 90,552 deaths in the financial year 2013-14, 6496 were due to tuberculosis, 5055 attributable to complications arising out of hypertension and 2472 due to diabetes.

There has been a 19% increase in diabetes cases when compared with 2013-14. A 9% increase has been noted in both cases and deaths due to hypertension.

Physician Dr Hemant Thacker endorsed diabetes and hypertension as the two biggest health threats looming over the city. "Hypertension is responsible for coronary heart disease, stroke and kidney diseases," he said.

Tuberculosis has started showing some decline with an 8.1% in 2013-14 to 7.2% in 2014-15. Death rate among 20-39 year-old was 35% for malaria, 30% for TB and 37% for dengue.

"The burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases is on the rise. Civic body mostly reacts to an epidemic rather than working proactively to prevent it," said Nitai Mehta, Managing trustee of Praja Foundation.

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Source-Medindia