The Global Burden of Disease: Generating Evidence, Guiding Policy – South Asia Regional Edition presents key changes in the leading causes of premature mortality and disability in South Asia and explores intraregional differences in diseases, injuries, and risk factors. The publication shows that non-communicable diseases are increasingly causing more premature mortality and disability, while the region continues to grapple with high burdens of communicable conditions. Published by the World Bank and IHME, the report is based on the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2010 (GBD 2010) [2], a collaborative effort of researchers from 50 countries around the world led by IHME at the University of Washington.

The report finds that the disease burden from most communicable, newborn, nutritional, and maternal diseases declined over the past two decades, while ischemic heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, and road injuries are causing more premature death and disability in South Asia than they did 20 years ago. People are living longer in South Asian countries than ever before, and the region has made substantial progress in reducing health risks like childhood underweight, suboptimal breastfeeding, and vitamin deficiencies.