Health in Kerala, India: official figures
Life expectancy at birth in Kerala was 75.1 years in 2019-23 (71.9 for men, 78.4 for women), against 70.3 for India; the longest of 22 with figures.
What is the infant mortality rate in Kerala?
5 babies in every 1,000 born alive in Kerala died before their first birthday in 2023 (Sample Registration System; India: 25), down from 12 in 2013; 2nd lowest of 35.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many mothers die in childbirth in Kerala?
30 mothers died for every 100,000 live births in Kerala in 2021-23 (maternal mortality ratio; India: 88).
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many children in Kerala are anaemic?
39.4% of young children (6 to 59 months) in Kerala were anaemic in 2019-21 (National Family Health Survey 5), up from 35.6% in 2015-16; all-India: 67.1%; the lowest of 36.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many pregnant women in Kerala are anaemic?
31.4% of pregnant women in Kerala were anaemic in 2019-21 (all-India: 52.2%), which raises the risk of low birth weight and of death in childbirth.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many hospital beds does Kerala have?
Kerala had 1,287 government hospitals with 38,525 beds at the end of 2022, about 1.08 beds per 1,000 people (all-India: 0.61; 15th most of 36). Private hospitals are not counted.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyAre there enough doctors in rural Kerala?
In March 2023, 1,525 doctors were working at Kerala's rural primary health centres, against 1,609 sanctioned posts (84 vacant) and 780 needed by national norms (Rural Health Statistics).
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many specialist doctors work in rural Kerala?
Rural community health centres in Kerala had 56 of the 844 specialists they need (surgeons, obstetricians and gynaecologists, physicians and paediatricians) in March 2023, 7% of the requirement (all-India: 20%).
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow much does Kerala spend on health?
Public spending on health in Kerala was ₹7,539 crore in 2019-20, about ₹2,143 per resident; 12th highest of 31 with figures.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow Kerala compares with other states
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births (2023)
Kerala ranks 34 of 35, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Infant deaths per 1,000 live births |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Lakshadweep | 9 |
| 30 | Puducherry | 7 |
| 31 | Chandigarh | 7 |
| 32 | Goa | 6 |
| 33 | Sikkim | 6 |
| 34 | Kerala | 5 |
| 35 | Manipur | 3 |
Life expectancy at birth (2019-23)
Kerala ranks 1 of 22, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Life expectancy at birth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kerala | 75.1 years |
| 2 | Jammu and Kashmir | 74.4 years |
| 3 | Himachal Pradesh | 74.4 years |
| 4 | Delhi | 74.2 years |
| 5 | Tamil Nadu | 73.4 years |
| 6 | Maharashtra | 72.8 years |
| 7 | West Bengal | 72.5 years |
Government hospital beds per 1,000 people (2022)
Kerala ranks 15 of 36, highest first. Beds on 31 December 2022 divided by the official projected population for 2022.
| Rank | Region | Government hospital beds per 1,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Delhi | 1.49 |
| 13 | Meghalaya | 1.37 |
| 14 | Tripura | 1.30 |
| 15 | Kerala | 1.08 |
| 16 | Karnataka | 1.06 |
| 17 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 1.03 |
| 18 | West Bengal | 0.98 |
Children aged 6-59 months who are anaemic (2019-21)
Kerala ranks 36 of 36, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Children aged 6-59 months who are anaemic |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Mizoram | 46.4% |
| 31 | Meghalaya | 45.1% |
| 32 | Lakshadweep | 43.1% |
| 33 | Manipur | 42.8% |
| 34 | Nagaland | 42.7% |
| 35 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 40.0% |
| 36 | Kerala | 39.4% |
More on Kerala: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · government budget · India
Sources
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 14: State-wise Children Aged 6-59 Months who are Anaemic, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 88b94ba8796f…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 15: State-wise Pregnant Women Aged 15-49 Years who are Anaemic, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 10416e5dd5f9…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 16: State-wise Health Infrastructure - Doctors and Specialists (Rural Health Statistics, 31 March 2023), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2e055836b4d9…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 18: State-wise Public Expenditure on Health, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 264dafcd814a…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 17: State-wise Number of Government Hospitals and Beds, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 86c53d763e42…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 4: State-wise Infant Mortality Rate, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7f5e2e5b7d62…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 7: State-wise Life Expectancy, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2d87cfcb6759…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 5: State-wise Maternal Mortality Ratio, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 43c67ae2dca5…)
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