Despite achieving marked progress in life expectancy by reducing peoples’ dying from diarrhoeal diseases, deaths from non-communicable diseases like heart disease and diabetes has increased in Bangladesh, according to a new study.
The research report says Bangladesh has made significant progress in increasing life expectancy and reducing the number of people dying from diarrhoeal diseases and pre-term birth complications in recent years, but the death from non-communicable diseases has increased.
The findings of the study were part of a global study published in the Lancet recently, which systematically analysed trend data on burden of disease and mortality in 188 countries.
The study was conducted by an international consortium of researchers, and Dr Aliya Naheed, associate scientist at icddr,b’s Centre for Equity and Health Systems, was involved in the study.
“Emergence of non-communicable diseases would pose a greater burden on economy of Bangladesh unless sustainable services are implemented at the primary health facilities for addressing non-communicable diseases,” Dr Naheed said.
In Bangladesh, the mortality rate from diarrhoeal diseases decreased by a staggering 91 percent between 1990 and 2013. During the same period, deaths related to pre-term birth complications fell by 79 percent, according to an icddr,b web post.
Life expectancy in Bangladesh improved by an average of 11.1 years since 1990 – a bigger improvement than the global average and one of the top ten biggest gains in life expectancy worldwide. The average life expectancy for Bangladeshi women and men in 2013 were 71 years and 68.3 years, respectively.
Bangladesh has experienced a large increase in non-communicable diseases. The study found the leading causes of death in 2013 were stroke, ischemic heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, accounting for 34 percent of all deaths.
Incidence of ischemic heart disease and stroke rose more than 400
percent and 200 percent respectively between 1990 and 2013 and these
were the top two causes of death for people between the ages of 15
and 49. The number of deaths from diabetes also rose more than 200
percent during that same time period.
The shifting burden of disease in Bangladesh is consistent with
global trends. While globally progress has been made in reducing
mortality from diseases such as measles and diarrhoea, rates of
ischemic heart disease, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease have increased and these three diseases claimed nearly 32
percent of all deaths worldwide.
The Global Burden of Disease Study, produced in collaboration between
thousands of researchers worldwide, is an annual estimate of deaths
by cause, years of life lost to disability, and rates of premature
mortality and illness.
