Sex ratio in Delhi dips post-Covid pandemic: Govt report

“Of late, it is observed that data/information of stillbirths is not reported regularly by hospitals/ institutions to the Registrar (B&D) concerned. The Office of Chief Registrar (B&D) had issued a communication to sensitise medical superintendents of hospitals/institutions to report vital events, inclusive of stillbirths, within the stipulated period of 21 days to the Registrar (B&D) concerned,” officials said.

Birth and death rates up

Both birth and death rates have increased in 2023 as compared to the previous year.

-Data shows that in 2023, the birth rate was 14.66 per thousand population as against 14.24 in 2022. The average number of births per day in Delhi was 863 in 2023 as against 823 in 2022.

-The total number of births registered in 2023 was 3.15 lakh; in 2022, it was 3 lakh. Of the total births registered last year, 52.02 % were male and 47.96% female.

-Data shows that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) accounted for 2.71 lakh (86.06%) of total births; 40,515 (12.86%) occurred in New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) areas; and 3,414 (1.08 %) in the Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB) areas.

“It is observed that in Delhi, the proportion of institutional births during the six consecutive years was more than 90% in consequence of the positive impact of different government programmes to encourage institutional delivery for safe maternal and child health. Still, there is a strong need to take further measures to achieve the milestone of cent percent institutional delivery,” the report stated.

-The death rate per thousand population increased to 6.16 in 2023 from 6.07 in 2022. The data shows that Delhi saw 363 deaths per day last year, while it was 351 in 2022.
-Data shows that a total of 1.32 lakh deaths were registered last year, while it was 1.28 lakh in 2022. Of these, 7,439 were infants.

-Of the total deaths registered, 61.56% were male and 38% female.

-The MCD accounted for 73.45% of total registered deaths while the share of NDMC was 25.16% and DCB was 1.39%.

-The report also reveals that a maximum number of deaths (39.28%) occurred in the 65 years and above age group.

-The major cause of institutional deaths in 2023 was due to septicemia (17.30%); shock (10.62%); liver disease (4.73%); pulmonary and heart disease (4.65%); hypertension (4.63%); tuberculosis (4.40%) and Covid virus identified and not identified (0.11%). The remaining deaths were due to other causes.