The health care system in Kolkata consists of 48 government hospitals, mostly under the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, and 366 private medical establishments during 2010.[1] The health scenario in Kolkata is better than many other cities in India [according to whom?].
Health indicators
According to National Family Health Survey, 2005, only a small proportion of the households are covered under any health scheme or health insurance.[2]: 41 The total fertility rate in Kolkata is 1.4, which is the lowest among the cities surveyed.[2]: 45 In Kolkata, 77 percent of the married women use contraceptive, which is the highest among the cities surveyed; but use of modern contraceptive methods is the lowest (46 percent).[2]: 47 Infant mortality rate in Kolkta is 41 per 1000 live birth, and mortality rate for children below five is 49 per 1000 live birth.[2]: 48
Among the surveyed cities, Kolkata stands second (5 percent), where the children have not received any vaccination under Universal Immunization Programme.[2]: 48 Kolkata stands second among the surveyed cities, with 57 percent of the children between 0 and 71 months has the reach to an anganwadi centre under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme.[2]: 51 Percentage of malnutrition, anemic and underweight children in Kolkata is less in comparison to other surveyed cities.[2]: 54–55
Diseases
About 30 percent of the women and 18 percent of the men in Kolkata are obese.[2]: 105 Kolkata has the highest percentage (55 percent) of woman who are having anaemia among the surveyed cities, while 20 percent of the men in Kolkata are anaemic.[2]: 56–57 Large number of people suffers from diseases like diabetes, asthma, goitre and other thyroid disorders.: 57–59 Tropical diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya are prevalent in Kolkata, though their incidence is decreasing.[3]
Health infrastructure
As of 2010, there are 48 government hospitals, mostly under the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, and 366 private medical establishments during 2010.[1] For every 10,000 people in the city, there are 61 hospital beds,[1] which is higher than the national average of 9 hospital beds per 10,000.[4] Ten medical colleges are located in the Kolkata metropolitan area which act as tertiary referral hospitals in the state.[5][6]Calcutta Medical College, founded in 1835, was the first Asian institution to teach modern medicine.[7] These facilities are inadequate to meet the healthcare needs of the city.[8][9][10] More than 78 percent in Kolkata prefer the private medical sector over public medical sector,[2]: 109 due to the poor quality of care, the lack of a nearby facility, and excessive waiting times at government facilities.[2]: 61
^ abcdefghijkGupta, Kamla; Arnold, Fred; Lhungdim, H. (2009). "Health and Living Conditions in Eight Indian Cities"(PDF). National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), India, 2005-06. Mumbai: International Institute for Population Sciences; Calverton, Maryland, USA. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
