Mortality statistics in India: Current status and future prospects

When plague epidemics swept India in the second half of the 19th century, there was an epidemiological need for mortality statistics; as a result, vital event registration systems were established. However, despite the existence of multiple sources of mortality statistics in many ministries/departme...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Rajesh Kumar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2022-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Community Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijcm.org.in/article.asp?issn=0970-0218;year=2022;volume=47;issue=4;spage=476;epage=478;aulast=
Description
Summary:When plague epidemics swept India in the second half of the 19th century, there was an epidemiological need for mortality statistics; as a result, vital event registration systems were established. However, despite the existence of multiple sources of mortality statistics in many ministries/departments of the government, neither the number of deaths nor the causes of deaths reported annually are complete yet. Multilateral international organisations have supported modelling for the generation of mortality statistics in developing countries rather than supporting and funding the development of real-time mortality data. With specific initiatives for decentralising the registration process to primary health centres and sub-health centres, the civil registration system despite its flaws, can be improved for gathering accurate data on mortality, including the causes of deaths.
ISSN:0970-0218
1998-3581