Medically Certified Deaths in India: 2023 Report
The Office of the Registrar General of India released the "Annual Report on Medical Certification of Cause of Death, 2023," highlighting key causes of medically certified deaths across the country.
Leading Causes of Death
- Diseases of the Circulatory System
- Accounted for 36.4% of all medically certified deaths.
- Marked a decrease from over 40% in 2022.
- Highest incidence in individuals aged above 70 years.
- More than half of these deaths were due to pulmonary circulation or heart diseases.
Demographics and Trends
- Age Distribution:
- Highest death rate in age group 70+ (more than one-third of deaths).
- Significant percentage in younger age groups: 15-24 years (21%), 25-34 years (27.8%), 35-44 years (33.1%).
- 80% of deaths due to circulatory diseases for those above 45 years.
- Gender Disparity:
- In the 70+ age group, more women died from circulatory diseases than men by over 10 percentage points.
Other Causes of Death
- Respiratory System Diseases: Constituted over 11.5% of deaths.
- Infectious and Parasitic Diseases: Accounted for over 8%.
- Others: Digestive system, neoplasms, genitourinary diseases, injuries, and perinatal conditions each accounted for about 4%.
- Unclassified Symptoms and Findings: Made up 11.9%.
Regional Variations
- Efficiency in Medical Certification:
- High certification rates in areas like Goa (100%), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and others.
- Varies widely across States and UTs.
