Citation

Nambiar D, Razzak JA, Afsana K, Adams AM, Hasan A, Mohan D, Patel V. BMJ 2017; 357: j1126.

Affiliation

Sangath, Goa, India.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmj.j1126

PMID

28400379

Abstract

The urban population of South Asia increased by over 130 million between 2000 and 2011, second in absolute terms only to the East Asia and Pacific region. In 2014, five of the world’s largest 15 urban agglomerations (or megacities) were in South Asia. A characteristic feature of urbanisation is that cities have expanded spatially, merging with adjacent rural and urban settlements. For example, while the population increase in Dhaka’s core municipality was 45%, the growth in the conurbations of greater Dhaka was nearly twice as great. Expanding agglomerations around cities create increasing demands on infrastructure and services, which affects the quality of and access to healthcare, especially for poor people.

In this article, we explore the determinants of health in the context of the uneven patterns of urbanisation in South Asia, with a focus on the emerging challenges and policy responses to mental health and injuries. We draw from examples of the megacities of Dhaka, Delhi, and Karachi to show the dynamic urban scenario of South Asia.

Language: en