Heart problems, pneumonia, asthma claimed 42 per cent of total deaths in India in 2020

NEW DELHI: Heart diseases, pneumonia and asthma together claimed the highest number of lives -- over 42 per cent -- of the total 18,11,688 medically certified deaths registered in the country in 2020. However, the total number of registered deaths in the country was 81,15,882.

According to the 'Report on Medical Certification of Cause of Death 2020', prepared by India's Registrar General and Census Commissioner, COVID-19, which hit the country in that year, claimed nearly nine per cent of the lives -- 1,60,618 people.

While diseases of circulatory system claimed 32.1 per cent lives, respiratory system related diseases were responsible for 10 per cent deaths. Those who died due to diseases of pulmonary circulation and other forms of heart diseases and ischemic heart diseases were categorised as deaths due to 'diseases of circulatory system'.

Deaths from pneumonia, asthma, and related diseases were termed as deaths due to the 'diseases of respiratory system'. The third leading group, constituting 8.9 per cent of the total medically certified deaths, was classified under the 'Codes for special purposes: COVID-19'.

Certain infectious and parasitic diseases, which were the fourth leading cause of death, were mainly constituted by septicemia and tuberculosis. They claimed 7.1 per cent lives in 2020 in India. The fifth leading cause, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases were responsible for 5.8 per cent of the total medically certified deaths.

Diabetes and mellitus were the major causes under this category.

The sixth leading reason of country's deaths was injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes (fractures, poisoning by drugs and biological substances) and it constituted 5.6 per cent of the total deaths.

Neoplasm (cancer) was the seventh leading cause, accounting for 4.7 per cent of the total medically certified deaths. Male and female constituted 64 per cent and 36 per cent respectively of the total medically certified death.

The highest number of deaths (5,17,678 or 28.6 per cent of total medically certified deaths) were reported for the age-group 70 years and above. For the age-groups of 45 years and above, diseases of circulatory system (heart diseases) were the first leading cause of death.

A total of 5.7 per cent of total medically certified deaths were reported among infants (age less than 1 year). About 71.7 per cent of all infant deaths were reported to be caused by certain conditions originating during the perinatal period.

In the age-group of 15-24 years, diseases of circulatory system claimed 18 per cent of deaths - the highest -- followed by injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes, which constituted 15.7 per cent of deaths, implying the age group to be peculiarly vulnerable to 'injuries and poisoning related deaths.