THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has drawn a comprehensive plan to achieve high health indicators by 2030 as part of the UN programme on Sustainable Development Goals. The government has constituted 13 working groups headed by experts to achieve the targets in various health issues including maternal mortality, infant mortality, life style diseases, psychiatric ailments, communicable diseases, chronic health problems and alcohol related problems.
Announcing the comprehensive plan at a press conference here, health minister K.K. Shailaja said the state plans to bring down maternal mortality rate from existing 61/1 lakh deliveries to 30/lakh by 2020, infant mortality down from 12/lakh deliveries to 8. Besides, as part of the project it intends to completely wipe out diseases like tuberculosis, HIV, malaria in next 14 years besides effectively countering hepatitis and other water borne diseases during this period.
The health authorities have decided to bring down the mortality due to TB from 1,000 per year to 650. Each year 22,785 persons are affected by TB and efforts are aimed at bringing these figures down to 18,228 by 2020. Though the tuberculosis treatment is free in the state, patients are being charged for some diagnostic procedures. This will be made totally free in the state by 2020.
Each year 2,000 persons get infected by Malaria and two to six deaths are reported. According to health department, of these 90 per cent contract the disease from outside the state. The aim is to make state malaria free by 2020.
The expert committee has also put forward the following suggestions - bring down untimely deaths caused by life style disease by 30 per cent by 2030, bring down alcohol consumption by 10 per cent, contain diabetes, obesity, blood pressure and hypertension. A big challenge being faced by state is its high suicide rate. Efforts will be made to bring down suicide rate from 24.9 per lakh population to 16/lakh .
