Obesity, ageing population behind Punjab’s high fatality rate

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 20

Large number of people suffering from non-communicable diseases, obesity and increasing elderly population are the main reasons behind the high Covid fatality rate in Punjab, experts maintain.

Various surveys in the past have found that the number of patients suffering from non-communicable diseases in the state is among the highest in the country.

The surveys conducted by the state Health Department and central agencies have established that every third person in Punjab suffers from at least one non-communicable disease, including hypertension, diabetes, cancer, obesity, etc. Among these, hypertension and diabetes are the most prevalent.

“High prevalence of non-communicable diseases and other factors put the lives of a large number of people at risk in the present scenario of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr Rajesh Kumar, former head, School of Public Health, PGI, Chandigarh.

In Punjab, around three Covid-positive patients out of every 100 confirmed cases lose the battle for life. Thus, the Covid fatality rate in the state is one of the highest in the country.

In all, 2,813 persons have died in the state due to Covid in the past nine months. Around 90 per cent of such victims were suffering from co-morbidities.

National Family Health Survey

17.5% population in the

15-49 years age group suffers 'slightly above normal to very high' hypertension

26% population in this group obese & 8.7% diabetic

10% of state’s population is aged above 60