Key Details
The Report on Medical Certification of Cause of Death 2024 analyses 20,66,117 medically certified deaths across different age groups and sexes, revealing that India's mortality profile changes substantially over the life course. While perinatal conditions dominate infant mortality, injuries become increasingly important during adolescence and early adulthood before chronic diseases emerge as the principal causes of death from middle age onwards. The report also identifies distinct differences between male and female mortality patterns, providing an evidence base for age- and sex-specific public health planning.
Life stage | Leading mortality pattern | Key finding |
|---|---|---|
Infancy (below 1 year) | Perinatal conditions | 66.7% of infant deaths |
Children (0–4 years) | Perinatal conditions | 57.5% of deaths |
Children (1–4 years) | Respiratory diseases | Leading cause (16.7%) |
Adolescents & young adults | Circulatory diseases and injuries | Injuries become major cause alongside chronic disease |
Middle age (35+) | Circulatory diseases | Become the dominant cause of death |
Older adults | Chronic diseases | Heart, respiratory, cancer and metabolic diseases account for nearly 70% of deaths |
Mortality Risks Change at Every Stage of Life
The report shows that India's mortality profile is not defined by a single dominant disease burden but by a sequence of changing health risks across different ages.
Among infants, 66.7% of deaths were attributed to conditions originating during the perinatal period. Across all children aged 0–4 years, these conditions still accounted for 57.5% of medically certified deaths.
For children aged 1–4 years, however, respiratory diseases became the leading cause of death, accounting for 16.7% of deaths in that age group.
These findings indicate that maternal health, neonatal care and early childhood illness continue to shape mortality during the earliest years of life.
Injuries Become a Major Risk During Youth
As children enter adolescence and early adulthood, mortality patterns begin to shift.
Among those aged 15–24 years, diseases of the circulatory system accounted for 20.8% of medically certified deaths, while injuries, poisoning and other external causes accounted for 16.1%.
For those aged 25–34 years, circulatory diseases accounted for 26.1%, while injuries remained the second-largest cause at 12.4%.
The persistence of injury-related deaths during these economically productive years highlights the continued importance of road safety, workplace safety, poisoning prevention and emergency trauma care.
Heart Disease Dominates From Middle Age Onwards
A clear transition occurs during middle age.
Among people aged 35–44 years, diseases of the circulatory system already accounted for 32.3% of medically certified deaths.
From 45 years onwards, circulatory diseases remained the leading cause of death across every subsequent age group, accounting for between 38.6% and 47.8% of medically certified deaths.
The burden becomes even more concentrated in later life.
Among people aged:
55–64 years, chronic diseases accounted for 64.8% of deaths.
65–69 years, the share increased to 68.2%.
70 years and above, chronic diseases accounted for 69.3% of deaths.
The 70 years and above age group alone recorded 6,02,012 medically certified deaths, representing 29.1% of all medically certified deaths in India during 2024.
Men and Women Face Different Mortality Risks
The report also identifies important sex-specific mortality patterns.
Overall, males accounted for 58.6% of medically certified deaths, while females accounted for 41.4%.
However, among older age groups, women recorded relatively higher proportions of deaths due to circulatory diseases and neoplasms, while men generally recorded higher mortality from injuries and several communicable and respiratory conditions.
These differences reinforce the importance of tailoring prevention, screening and healthcare interventions to both age and sex rather than relying solely on national averages.
Mortality Is Not One National Story
The report illustrates that India's epidemiological transition unfolds progressively across the life course.
Health risks evolve from birth complications and childhood illnesses to injuries during youth before chronic diseases become the principal causes of mortality from middle age onwards.
Understanding these transitions is essential for designing interventions that address the health challenges most relevant to each stage of life rather than applying uniform approaches across the population.
Policy Relevance
Strengthen maternal and neonatal healthcare to reduce deaths arising from conditions originating during the perinatal period.
Expand injury prevention strategies through road safety, occupational safety, poisoning prevention and trauma care for adolescents and young adults.
Introduce earlier cardiovascular risk screening. The growing share of circulatory disease from middle age underscores the importance of preventive interventions well before old age.
Prepare health systems for population ageing. As chronic diseases increasingly dominate mortality among older adults, greater emphasis will be needed on long-term management of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory illnesses.
Adopt age- and sex-specific health planning by using mortality evidence to target interventions towards the distinct risks faced at different stages of life.
Follow the Full Report: Report on Medical Certification of Cause of Death 2024, Office of the Registrar General of India.