Q - The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them? UPSC CSE Main 2022 GS 3.
Answer
The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. According to the UN estimates, India's life expectancy at birth is projected to increase from 69.6 years in 2020 to 82.1 years in 2100. This improvement is due to various factors such as better medical care, nutrition, sanitation, and hygiene. However, along with the increase in life span, there are also some challenges that need to be addressed. Some of these challenges are:
Demographic transition: The increase in life expectancy is accompanied by a decline in fertility rates, leading to an ageing population. The proportion of people aged 60 years and above is expected to rise from 9.1% in 2020 to 19.4% in 2050 and 28.6% in 2100. This poses a challenge for providing adequate health care, social security, and support services for the elderly.
Epidemiological transition: The increase in life expectancy is also associated with a shift in the burden of disease from communicable to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The top three causes of death in India in 2019 were ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and stroke. NCDs account for about 63% of all deaths and 55% of disability-adjusted life years in India. This requires a comprehensive and integrated approach for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of NCDs.
Health system transition: The increase in life expectancy requires a transformation of the health system to meet the changing needs and expectations of the population. The health system needs to ensure universal health coverage, quality of care, financial protection, human resources, infrastructure, technology, governance, and accountability. It also needs to address the social determinants of health such as poverty, inequality, education, environment, and gender.
Some of the steps that need to be taken to meet these challenges are:
Strengthening primary health care: Primary health care is the cornerstone of achieving universal health coverage and addressing the diverse health needs of the population. It involves providing essential health services such as promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care at the community level. It also involves engaging with other sectors and stakeholders to address the social determinants of health.
Promoting healthy ageing: Healthy ageing is the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age. It involves ensuring that older people have access to health care, social protection, and support services that are responsive to their needs and preferences. It also involves creating age-friendly environments that enable older people to participate in society and contribute to their families and communities.
Preventing and controlling NCDs: NCDs can be prevented and controlled by addressing their common risk factors such as tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and air pollution. It involves implementing evidence-based policies and interventions that can reduce exposure to these risk factors at the population level. It also involves strengthening health systems to provide integrated and people-centered care for NCDs at all levels of care.