Better Life Expectancy

There is a good news about which Nepal can take pride in. It is in the news that the country is making significant strides in a number of indicators that really matter. Among them are marked increase in life expectancy and a huge reduction in maternal mortality rates (MMR) and infant mortality rates (IMR). These are among the more than 400 demographic indicators made public by the report entitled 'Demographic Indicators', by the National Statistics Office (NSO) based on the data of Nepal National Census 2021 on Sunday. The indicators include birth rate, death rate and migration, among others, up to the provincial levels which would be valuable for all stakeholders and policy makers, including federal and provincial governments, to carry out the social and economic activities.

According to the report, the life expectancy of Nepalis at birth increased by five years in a decade from 2011-2021, increasing from 66.6 years to 71.3 years, with the average life expectancy of females – at 73.8 years – surpassing that of men – at 68.2 years– by more than five years in 2021. This remarkable increase is attributed to the improvement in social and economic aspects. Globally, by comparison, life expectancy has increased by more than six years between 2000 and 2019 – from 66.8 years to 73.4 years – in a period spanning over two decades, according to the WHO.  The statistics also show that infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births has dropped to 17 in 2021 from 40 in 2011 and 117 in 1981. 

There is a catch, however, in the averaged figure. The individual figure varies from province to province, depending upon their development level and economic and academic status of the people.  Karnali Province has the highest life expectancy of 72.5 years, followed by Bagmati (72.4 years), Gandaki (72.1 years), Madhes (71.8 years), Sudurpaschim (71.3 years), Koshi (70.4 years) and Lumbini (69.5 years). About a year ago, this daily carried a news report revealing how Lumbini fared worst in maternal deaths.

For all the success, there's no reason to rest on the laurels. The disparity between the provinces calls for concrete action to close the gaps. And we must always bear one thing in mind: the developmental gains can and will reverse unless we maintain the same level of commitment. The global drop in life expectancy in 2020-21 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is a case in point. The impact was so stark that even the people in the developed world with state-of-the-art health facilities saw their average life expectancy fall by one year or more years. 

Staying prepared for similar events that can catch us off-guard and push into challenging times is a good idea. The rise in the number of private hospitals providing sophisticated health facilities and obviating the need to go abroad for treatment bodes well for the health sector, though exorbitant cost can worry us at times.  Air pollution is another major concern. As the country urbanises rapidly, air quality is alarmingly worsening especially in the urban settings.  

A few weeks ago, Kathmandu, contributed by wildfire on its outskirts and plumes of vehicular emissions, topped the list of most polluted cities. Air pollution is proven to deteriorate the health condition and markedly lower life expectancy.  Measure to combat this health hazard should begin by removing decades-old vehicles that leave a trail of toxic fume as they move. Making their drivers or owners aware of how much damage they are inflicting on people's health can yield positive results.