A report by Sample Registration System (SRS) shows that the average life expectancy in India has increased for the first time in ten years. According to the report, life expectancy in India rose to 69.7 years in 2019.
The SRS survey by the Govt of India shows that life expectancy in the country has increased by twenty years in the last four decades. However, it still remains below the average life expectancy of the world, i.e., 72.6 years, as reported by WION.
One of the biggest reasons why the second most populous nation in the world is struggling to improve life expectancy is high infant and under-five mortality rates, the survey finds.
Also, life expectancy varies in different regions and among different sexes. For instance, the southern state of Kerala shows high expectancy in rural regions than in urban areas, which is the opposite in every other state.
Also, in the last forty years, the difference between rural-urban life expectancy has decreased. The difference between expectancy at the time of birth is 4.7 years, and at 70 years, it is 1.6 years.
Almost every state and UT shows higher female life expectancy except for a couple of states of Bihar and Jharkhand. Overall, the average life expectancy of females is 71.1, and that of males is 68.4 years.
The increase in the life expectancy in India for over four decades is because of improvements and developments in medical science and infrastructure. Moreover, India is one of the largest medicine manufacturers, and thus, people can get medicines easily.
The public and private investments in the healthcare sector have made it possible for India to improve expectancy. But, still, the figures are below the global average, and the Asian giant should improve it.
