Ischemic heart disease causes nearly 21% of total deaths in Sri Lanka and accounts for nearly ten percent of disabilities islandwide, a new study has revealed.
The 2015 study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) which drew over 1800 researchers in nearly 130 countries, including Sri Lanka , was part of the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries and Risk Factors ( GBD) study collaboration. “Six papers were presented to help governments and donors to identify national health challenges and priorities for intervention, which have been published by The Lancet ,” a spokesman for IHME told the Sunday Observer, adding ,“ The papers published this week, reveal the key drivers of sickness, death and disability around the world including Sri Lanka”.
In a listing of ‘Top five causes of death – 2015 for Sri Lanka ’, Ischemic Heart disease led with 20.6%, followed by Cerebrovascular diseases ( 11.8%) , diabetes ( 7.9%) , Asthma ( 5.2%) and Self harm 5%.
The Top Five causes of Years Lived with Disability ( YLDs) 2015, in Sri Lanka have been listed in the following order: 1) Low back pain and neck pain (11.4%) 2) Sense organs diseases ( 10.6%) , 3) diabetes ( 7.9%) ,4) Skin diseases ( 6.6%) and 5) Depressive disorders ( 6.2%). High Systolic Blood Pressure took first place ( 12%) among the Top Five Risk Factors for Disability Adjusted Life Years ( DALYS ) 2015. It was followed by High fasting plasma glucose ( 10.7%) , High cholesterol (5.9%) , High Body Mass Index ( 5.7%) , and a Diet low in whole grains ( 4.8%.
The studies also revealed, that the number of maternal deaths in Sri Lanka had halved from 269 in 1990 to 107 in 2015. The ratio of maternal deaths in 1990 per 100,000 live births was 75.2 and in 2015 plunged to a new low of 33.1. Under five deaths in 2015, totaled 2,640, the ratio per 1,000 live births being 8.1.
Overall life expectancy rates for both females and males showed an improvement , particularly so in the case of females. Whereas in 2005 it was 78 years for women, in 2015 it rose to 81. Healthy Life Expectancy for females also improved from 68 to 70.8% In males life expectancy rose from 68 .1 in 2005 to 70.8 in 2015 and healthy life expectancy rates for males rose from 62.1 to 65.5%.
Sri Lanka was represented by Dr. Palitha Karunapema, Ministry of Health, Dr. Achala Upendra Jayatilleke, Senior Lecturer - Post Graduate Institute of Medicine
Dr. Samath D. Dharmaratne Associate Professor in Community Medicine and Consultant Community Physician,University of Peradeniya .