THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala, which has made significant gains in health indices, is yet to address key issues related to tribal population, re-emergence of communicable diseases and second generation issues like increasing incidence of non-communicable diseases and health issues of the aged and women. This has been stated in the Economic Review 2017 that was submitted in the Assembly on Thursday.
The review states the health status of marginalised communities like Adivasis and fisherfolk are poor compared to the general population. The increasing health expenditure has also been mentioned as a challenge the state faced.
‘’These challenges will have to be addressed in the coming years. There are specific issues to be addressed specifically in the areas of general health, rural health, tribal health, women health, mother-child health care, health insurance and medical tourism in the 13th Five-Year Plan period,’’ it said. The public health care system has to be strengthened further to face these challenges, the Economic Review states. It also states the state must ensure that it sustained the significant gains that it made in health indices.
State’s elderly population growing at steady pace
T’Puram: Kerala has the highest number of elderly persons, with senior citizens (above 60) constituting 13 pc of the state’s population, according to the Economic Review 2017. It also pointed out how the state’s elderly population is growing at a perpetual rate of 2.3 per cent. The review predicts that by 2025, about 20 per cent of the state’s population would be elderly persons and the demand for social security system would be enormous. The old-age dependency ratio shows an increasing trend in Kerala and it is the highest among Indian states.
The culture of sending elderly persons to old age homes is also fast developing, the survey said.The 13th plan Working group in its report on the social protection of senior citizens has made certain recommendations, including the opening of day care centres for senior citizens and formation of a separate government department for them. A state panel for the protection and welfare of senior citizens and state and district councils on senior citizens have also been proposed. Strengthening of maintenance and welfare of parents act and a separate welfare fund for senior citizens is another key proposal.