Birth rate and infant deaths falls in India
- Context:The bulletin from the recent Sample Registration Survey (SRS) 2024 provides the sharpest picture yet of India in the throes of demographic transition.
- As per the latest estimate, while the country’s birth rate has fallen between 2014 and 2024 and the death rate is down marginally, good gains have been reported with the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), amid substantial progress made over the last decade.
India’s Health Gains Shadowed by Rural-Urban Divide in Birth and Death Rates
- The country’s birth rate — live births per 1,000 population — fell from 21 in 2014 to 18.3 in 2024, while the death rate (deaths per 1,000 people) is down from 6.7 to 6.4.
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- The IMR, recorded as the number of deaths per thousand live births, has dropped from 39 to 24.
- The overall performance is creditable, indicating several measures being launched by the Center and States to improve healthcare outcomes.
- The rural birth rate fell from 22.7 to 20.2 in the given decade, the simultaneous decadal performance in the urban areas was better — the birth rate fell from 17.4 to 14.7.
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- In the rural areas, the death rate fell from 7.3 to 6.8 between 2014 and 2024, and in the urban segment, it was at 5.5 in 2014 and went up marginally to 5.6 –still a better performance than in rural areas.
- Kerala has single digit IMR 8, lowest in the country.
- Tamil nadu brings up second position among larger states with IMR 11.
Severe heatwave conditions to prevail in parts of India
- Context:Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist over the plains of Northwest India, Central and East India, and parts of Peninsular India during the next six to seven days, says India Meteorological Department (IMD) .
- The IMD stated that heatwave conditions are likely in isolated areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh from May 22 to May 28.
- “Severe heatwave conditions over East Uttar Pradesh and East Madhya Pradesh are expected during the same period,” the IMD said.
Definition
- A heatwave is a period of abnormally hot weather, usually over several days, that is significantly hotter than what is normal for a place at that time of year. The World Meteorological Organization describes it as a period where local excess heat accumulates over a sequence of unusually hot days and nights.
Conditions for Declaring a Heatwave
- A heatwave is declared when the highest temperature recorded at a station is 40°C or above in plains and 30°C or above in hilly areas.
- Classification Based on Variation from Normal Temperature
- Heat Wave: When the maximum temperature is 4.5°C to 6.4°C higher than the normal temperature.
- Severe Heat Wave: When the maximum temperature is more than 6.4°C above the normal temperature.
Health Impacts of Heat Waves
- Heat Cramps: Ederna (swelling) and Syncope (Fainting) generally accompanied by fever below 39°C.
- Heat Exhaustion: Fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps and sweating.
- Heat Stoke: Body temperatures of 40°C or more along with delirium, seizures or coma. This is a potential fatal condition.
