Question

Kerala’s achievement in health sector is widely acknowledged. Now consider the following statements :

1. There is a syndrome of low mortality and high morbidity.
2. There is a syndrome of high mortality and low morbidity.

• A. 2 only
• B. 1, 2
• C. 1 only
• D. All

Answer 1

Answer:

A. 2 only

• Kerala has achieved a good health status compared to other States in India.

Factors which played a leading role in influencing the health system in Kerala are :

• Easy accessibility and coverage of medical care facilities
• High literacy rate,
• Well-functioning public distribution system
• Less exploitation of the workers due to the presence of workers organisations etc.
  
  
• The Peoples Campaign for Decentralised Planning initiated in 1996 helped improve infrastructure and service in primary and secondary healthcare institutions and widened healthcare delivery.
• In Kerala, both modern medicine and AYUSH systems play a crucial role in providing universal access and availability to the poorer sections of society.
• Kerala has made significant gains in health indices such as high life expectancy, low infant mortality rate, birth rate, and death rate, etc.

‘Low mortality and High morbidity syndrome’

• Although Kerala has made remarkable accomplishments in socio-demographic indices, studies show the existence of a ‘low mortality and high morbidity syndrome’ in Kerala.
• The vast majority of these studies depend upon reported morbidity or on perceived morbidity, which, to great extent, relies upon a person's view of illness.
• A high mortality rate, combined with low morbidity (low prevalence of diseases or illnesses), would typically indicate that people are dying at a high rate despite not having many diseases
• It is indicating that the healthcare system is not effectively preventing deaths.
• Kerala has extended health service, combined with universal literacy as compared to the past and this might be a reason for early detection and diagnosis of diseases and results in the high morbidity rates in Kerala.
• Non-communicable diseases are more prominent in Kerala; with infectious diseases and malnutrition being concentrated among the poor and lifestyle diseases are on the rise among the rich.