How Bangladesh, Nepal and Vietnam beat India hollow in health indicators

rockey 71

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How Bangladesh, Nepal and Vietnam beat India hollow in health indicators

A comparison on factors such as life expectancy, sanitation, child and maternal mortality, and immunization programmes



The Lancet is apparently unhappy with the Indian government’s attitude to public health care. The government has reportedly refuted the allegations, saying that things are improving. But how does our healthcare effort compare with that of other countries? Data from the World Bank health indicators show that Bangladesh and Nepal, with per capita gross domestic product (GDP) around half of India’s, do much better on health indicators. And Vietnam, with a per capita GDP slightly less than India’s, outshines India completely. Forget The Lancet—it is the masses of India who should be unhappy with the state of our healthcare.

India’s per capita GDP in constant 2011 international dollars was $5,445 in 2014, according to the World Bank indicators, while Bangladesh’s was $2,981 and Nepal’s $2,261. The per capita income of these two countries is, therefore, around half of India’s. Vietnam’s per capita income by this measure, at $5,370, was only slightly less than India’s.

Let’s compare how these countries have performed on health indicators.

The most basic indicator of well-being is life expectancy. Column 2 shows life expectancy at birth of Indian females, at 68 years, is lower than Bangladesh’s 71 years and Nepal’s 70 years. These two much poorer South Asian countries offer a longer life to their women, compared with India. As for Vietnam, life expectancy for women there is 80, which means women can look forward to 12 more years of life there than in India.

Column 3 shows the percentage of a cohort of newborn male infants that would survive to age 65, if subject to current mortality rates. Only 63% of male Indian babies will reach 65 years of age, compared with 72% for Bangladesh and Vietnam and 69% for Nepalese male babies.


Click here for enlarge

Column 4 shows how the Nepal and Vietnam governments devote a much larger proportion of their GDP to healthcare than India’s. Bangladesh, a much poorer nation, allots 1.3% of its GDP to public health services, the same as India.

The upshot of this stingy attitude to health is that the mortality ratio for newborn babies, for children under five years of age and for mothers are all much higher in India than in Bangladesh and Nepal, except for maternal mortality in which India equals Nepal. Communist Vietnam does far better than India. Columns 5, 6 and 7 give the details.

Column 8 shows the importance of sanitation, which has a huge bearing on health. Note that the percentage of the rural population with access to improved sanitation facilities is much lower in India than in neighbouring Bangladesh and Nepal, while Vietnam once again does much better.

And, finally, columns 9 and 10 show the coverage among children of Vitamin A supplements and DPT (diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus) immunization programmes. Once again, India comes across as the worst performer.

These numbers show that India can easily do much better, at its level of income, than it does now. Both Nepal and Bangladesh, with per capita incomes almost half of India’s, have done far more for the health of their people, particularly the health of their women and children. What’s more, India should aim at attaining Vietnam’s health indicators, rather than comparing itself with Bangladesh and Nepal. But then, Vietnam’s Communist government perhaps has a much higher commitment to its people’s health than the Indian establishment.

After all, what is the point of being a world power or having a high rate of GDP growth unless a nation takes care of its people, especially its mothers and children?

Manas Chakravarty looks at trends and issues in the financial markets. Your comments are welcome at [email protected]

http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/b2lEDKGWexu7vMPLO5HEZO/How-Bangladesh-Nepal-and-Vietnam-beat-India-hollow-in-healt.html
 

The enlightened

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Congratulations Bangladeshi
Now on to the basic premise of the article
The Lancet is apparently unhappy with the Indian government’s attitude to public health care. The government has reportedly refuted the allegations, saying that things are improving.
What does the Indian government - elected and appointed in mid-2014 have to do with the failures of the previous Indian governments which is being bashed with 2011 figures.
After all, what is the point of being a world power or having a high rate of GDP growth unless a nation takes care of its people, especially its mothers and children?
A high GDP growth rate as seen during the NDA era led to to the creation of 60 million new jobs in 6 years. Thats 60 million new tax payers whose money the UPA government spent on digging and filling holes under the garb of NREGA.
Focusing solely on growth rate is certainly a superficial activity. Having a high GDP growth rate simply means net increase of income with the people. Whether that income was absorbed by existing job holders/1 percenters or whether it was by formerly jobless folks is certainly a matter to be looked into. OTOH the notion of several leftists, dismissing a high GDP growth rate for a poor underdeveloped country contains as much intellectual depth as dismissing weight loss for a person with 90% artery blockage.

A proper analysis would see the present allocation to the health budget and its application and execution, but that's just too much work for the presstitutes I guess.
 

Sakal Gharelu Ustad

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GDP growth rate is the most important indicator for poor countries. Every other indicator is hogwash.
We can talk about other indicators after assuring some kind of sustainable livelihood for everyone which needs investment in job creation sectors. Health outcomes will improve by themselves.
 

PredictablyMalicious

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I'm extremely skeptical of data coming from third world countries. Bangladesh has political turmoil, its economy is in the gutter, constant flooding, overcrowded conditions, etc.. It doesn't make sense that Bangladesh would be better off than India in any way. Maybe if by India you're referring to Bihar then it could make sense.
 

amoy

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Vietnam of course is the most promising among all these four, even if on one parameter ECONOMY prospect only. It's also likely to become a member of TPP in years.

Vietnam's FDI inflow hits record high so far in 2015
September 26, 2015
Vietnam received an estimated record $9.65 billion in actual foreign direct investment (FDI) so far this year, with strong inflows going to the manufacturing sector, a key driver for the country's economic growth.
Bearing in mind VN population is less than 1/12 of India.

Vietnam has embarked on liberal reforms to strengthen capital markets and position itself as a low-cost manufacturing alternative to China, especially for cell phones, televisions, footwear and garments.

New FDI commitments in manufacturing account for 70 percent of the total $84.8 billion attracted by Vietnam between 2011 and August 2015, the Asian Development Bank said on Tuesday.
Also Vietnam has (almost) zero illiteracy!

Vietnam Is Becoming the 'New China' With Foreign Manufacturers
There's now significant foreign investment in tech in Vietnam. PC processor icon Intel's(INTC - Get Report) has operated a $1 billion test and assembly plant in Ho Chi Minh City since 2010. Vietnam's largest foreign investor, Samsung Electronics(SSNLF) , has made an $11 billion investment in production there. Apple(AAPL - Get Report) contractor Hon Hai Precision(HNHPF) makes smartphone parts in Vietnam, as well.
 

rockey 71

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I'm extremely skeptical of data coming from third world countries. Bangladesh has political turmoil, its economy is in the gutter, constant flooding, overcrowded conditions, etc.. It doesn't make sense that Bangladesh would be better off than India in any way. Maybe if by India you're referring to Bihar then it could make sense.
1. BD politics is no different than in other nations of SA. We do not suffer from endless insurgencies faced by India and Pakistan.
2. Floods are not happening suddenly one year. Floods occur every year - has been so from the beginning of known history. We know how to live with this. In fact floods leave sediments every year making our soil the richest in the world. For instance we have three cropping of rice in a year. Often we get fish from the water in the paddy field during the wet season and floods.
3. Our economy is booming. We have nearly caught up with China in RMG. We build and export ocean going ships. We are building craft for our Navy. Almost all small arms and ammo are manufactured by us. We employ a million Indians legally and another million illegally. The OP talks of health indicators, not economy. We wouldn't like to compare with others but unemployment is almost vanished. Education is doing good. It is compulsory till high school level - and free. The girl child also gets an allowance for going to school.
 

amoy

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BD is relatively stable, without ethnic clashes to my knowledge. Not until I encountered a Bangladeshi monk in the Dambulla Rock did I realize there's a Buddhist minority in BD.

If there were NO Myanmar as a hurdle the connectivy wouldn't have been a problem in btwn.

It is competitive in ……such as garment industry and perhaps ship dismantling... However one of severe challenges it's facing could be its exploding population. Its uncurbed growth could eat up any progress in health care, child labor, and GDP. When in per capita terms.......


~Tapa talks: Orange is the new black.~
 

rockey 71

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BD is relatively stable, without ethnic clashes to my knowledge. Not until I encountered a Bangladeshi monk in the Dambulla Rock did I realize there's a Buddhist minority in BD.

If there were NO Myanmar as a hurdle the connectivy wouldn't have been a problem in btwn.

It is competitive in ……such as garment industry and perhaps ship dismantling... However one of severe challenges it's facing could be its exploding population. Its uncurbed growth could eat up any progress in health care, child labor, and GDP. When in per capita terms.......


~Tapa talks: Orange is the new black.~

Yes, that and lack of natural resources are the bewildering problem which had compelled Japan to go to wars. Unfortunately there is not much discussion on these at intellectual forums.
 

bose

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It is utter foolishness in comparing small countries like Bangladesh or Nepal with multicultural & Diverse big country like India...

Small country like Bangladesh or Nepal are more homogeneous and there are scope of development and growth is more Big countries... we are comparing apples with oranges ...
 

amoy

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Yes, that and lack of natural resources are the bewildering problem which had compelled Japan to go to wars. Unfortunately there is not much discussion on these at intellectual forums.
Well, after WW2 Japan was even worse off short of resources after losing all the colonies. But it quickly rose from ruins despite that.

The so-called social engineering is very important. Meiji reform made primary education compulsory a hundred years ago. Later under American occupation land reform was enforced. I still remember a very popular Japanese sitcom in my childhood which featured post-war Japan - a young socialist [ex lover of the heroine] sighed what he struggled for in the imperial Japan had come true under Americans.

And the Korean War also greatly boosted Japanese economy all of a sudden.

Taiwan, S.Korea, Singapore none of them are rich in resources. People make difference. Miracles did happen often times



~~Still waters run deep. ~~from my MiPad using tapatalk
 

salute

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madarassa student if bangladeshi so big health services provider then why dont your fcuking madarassa bangladeshi beggers get the fcuk out of india.
 

rockey 71

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It is utter foolishness in comparing small countries like Bangladesh or Nepal with multicultural & Diverse big country like India...

Small country like Bangladesh or Nepal are more homogeneous and there are scope of development and growth is more Big countries... we are comparing apples with oranges ...

If your theory were true then India would have topped the list. The fact is that India's rural poor get neglected because of various mega projects and mammoth military build up. That last factor is of much worry to neighbors, because a poor country with a powerful military always causes problems.
 

parijataka

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If your theory were true then India would have topped the list. The fact is that India's rural poor get neglected because of various mega projects and mammoth military build up. That last factor is of much worry to neighbors, because a poor country with a powerful military always causes problems.
Indeed, then why are Bangladeshis jumping over borders in the millions to get into `poor` India by hook or by crook, despite what you say to most Bangladeshis getting to India is like getting to a First world country...:)
 

rockey 71

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Indeed, then why are Bangladeshis jumping over borders in the millions to get into `poor` India by hook or by crook, despite what you say to most Bangladeshis getting to India is like getting to a First world country...:)

These are slander churned out to defame us. The truth is otherwise. Two million Indians are employed by us. We spend billions in W Bengal for its economic life.
 

Navneet Kundu

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These are slander churned out to defame us. The truth is otherwise. Two million Indians are employed by us. We spend billions in W Bengal for its economic life.
You are right. Recently I was walking past Bangladesh embassy and I saw a long line of IIT-ians, IIM-ians, PhD holders, Stanford, Oxford graduates, scientists and businessmen, people from India, Germany, Italy, Britain and France queuing up outside the Bangladeshi embassy desperately hoping that they could get a Bangladeshi visa to live a better life in the land of opportunity ̶A̶m̶e̶r̶i̶c̶a̶ Bangladesh.

Can you please arrange a Bangladeshi visa for me too? I'm happy to pay you a bribe. Is two chapatis enough?
 

bose

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If your theory were true then India would have topped the list. The fact is that India's rural poor get neglected because of various mega projects and mammoth military build up. That last factor is of much worry to neighbors, because a poor country with a powerful military always causes problems.
You have completely misunderstood my argument, It will easy for a homogeneous society like Bangladesh to grow rapidly than a heterogeneous society like India... there are people with 100 different languages and way of livings... carrying all of them at the same time is a big challenges not to forget pressure & politics from each groups that eventually pulls the country back as a whole...

You will see that Sri Lanka is doing very well even after the long war they faced...

Regarding the military buildup... India does not have any option as it has nuclear powered countries surrounded at the north... It reminds me of my father's friend who went into the 62' war with China, He told us that they did not had the basic clothing [ to fight in the cold climate] and ammunition to fight the Chinese then... Nehru neglected the Armed forces [ he was suspicious ] and India pay'd a price for it.

A Economically and military strong India is must for peace in the region...

Except few regions in India, it is doing well to bring people out of poverty... India is into growth rate of 7.5 % [ current] and going to increase in future... Rapid development is the only way out...

There are 1 billion mobile users in this country... a poverty stricken people can not afford mobiles...
 

rockey 71

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@rockey 71 Form table 'Indians are twice as rich as BD&Nepalis but still poor in some indicators'.

Indians need some life style changes Yes we are promoting Yoga,Non-veg and improving Technology,Communications,Supplements,Education,Hospitals and so on.

Come after 5yrs Indians would be thrice as rich as BD,Paki&Nepalis with good lifestyle. :)

Why wait five years? I'll come next year, and see rich Indians richer and poor Indians growing in numbers. That's what your and our Nobel laureate Amaratya Sen says in essence.
 

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