Health in Tamil Nadu, India: official figures
Life expectancy at birth in Tamil Nadu was 73.4 years in 2019-23 (71.4 for men, 75.6 for women), against 70.3 for India; 5th longest of 22 with figures.
What is the infant mortality rate in Tamil Nadu?
12 babies in every 1,000 born alive in Tamil Nadu died before their first birthday in 2023 (Sample Registration System; India: 25), down from 21 in 2013; 11th lowest of 35.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many mothers die in childbirth in Tamil Nadu?
35 mothers died for every 100,000 live births in Tamil Nadu in 2021-23 (maternal mortality ratio; India: 88).
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many children in Tamil Nadu are anaemic?
57.4% of young children (6 to 59 months) in Tamil Nadu were anaemic in 2019-21 (National Family Health Survey 5), up from 50.7% in 2015-16; all-India: 67.1%; 13th lowest of 36.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many pregnant women in Tamil Nadu are anaemic?
48.3% of pregnant women in Tamil Nadu 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 Tamil Nadu have?
Tamil Nadu had 2,644 government hospitals with 116,733 beds at the end of 2022, about 1.52 beds per 1,000 people (all-India: 0.61; 11th most of 36). Private hospitals are not counted.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyAre there enough doctors in rural Tamil Nadu?
In March 2023, 2,594 doctors were working at Tamil Nadu's rural primary health centres, against 2,934 sanctioned posts (340 vacant) and 1,419 needed by national norms (Rural Health Statistics).
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many specialist doctors work in rural Tamil Nadu?
Rural community health centres in Tamil Nadu had 227 of the 1,540 specialists they need (surgeons, obstetricians and gynaecologists, physicians and paediatricians) in March 2023, 15% of the requirement (all-India: 20%).
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow much does Tamil Nadu spend on health?
Public spending on health in Tamil Nadu was ₹13,012 crore in 2019-20, about ₹1,716 per resident; 16th highest of 31 with figures.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow Tamil Nadu compares with other states
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births (2023)
Tamil Nadu ranks 25 of 35, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Infant deaths per 1,000 live births |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Jammu and Kashmir | 14 |
| 23 | Himachal Pradesh | 14 |
| 24 | Mizoram | 13 |
| 25 | Tamil Nadu | 12 |
| 26 | Nagaland | 10 |
| 27 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 9 |
| 28 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 9 |
Life expectancy at birth (2019-23)
Tamil Nadu ranks 5 of 22, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Life expectancy at birth |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 8 | Uttarakhand | 71.3 years |
Government hospital beds per 1,000 people (2022)
Tamil Nadu ranks 11 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Puducherry | 2.04 |
| 9 | Arunachal Pradesh | 1.72 |
| 10 | Mizoram | 1.61 |
| 11 | Tamil Nadu | 1.52 |
| 12 | Delhi | 1.49 |
| 13 | Meghalaya | 1.37 |
| 14 | Tripura | 1.30 |
Children aged 6-59 months who are anaemic (2019-21)
Tamil Nadu ranks 24 of 36, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Children aged 6-59 months who are anaemic |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Puducherry | 64.0% |
| 22 | Andhra Pradesh | 63.2% |
| 23 | Uttarakhand | 58.8% |
| 24 | Tamil Nadu | 57.4% |
| 25 | Arunachal Pradesh | 56.6% |
| 26 | Sikkim | 56.4% |
| 27 | Himachal Pradesh | 55.4% |
More on Tamil Nadu: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · 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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