India experienced its first decline in life expectancy at birth in nearly 50 years during the period 2017-2021, largely due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Life Expectancy Decline
- The life expectancy at birth decreased from 70 years during 2016-2020 to 69.8 years in 2017-2021.
- The decline is a significant demographic indicator, reflecting the pandemic's impact.
Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic
The pandemic drastically increased mortality rates in India, particularly during the second wave in 2021.
- Annual registered deaths surged to over 10.2 million in 2021, a 26% increase from the previous year.
- In 2020, deaths increased by over 6% compared to 2019.
- Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and several other states reported higher deaths between 2020 and 2021.
Covid-related Fatalities
- Covid-19 deaths increased from 160,618 in 2020 to 413,580 in 2021, a 157.5% rise.
Other Health Impacts
The pandemic also influenced deaths from various health issues:
- Respiratory diseases: Deaths rose by 68.5%, from 181,160 to 305,191.
- Circulatory system diseases: Increased by 22.9%, from 580,751 to 714,072.
- Infectious and parasitic diseases: Increased by 14.3%.
- Endocrine, nutritional & metabolic diseases: Rose by 2%.
- Injury & poisoning: Increased by 2.4%.
Decreases in Mortality
- Neoplasms (cancers) and certain perinatal conditions saw a slight decline in deaths, by 5.5% and 3.2% respectively.
The pandemic has significantly reshaped India's mortality landscape, especially due to the Delta variant wave in 2021.
