World Health Statistics 2013

Note: This article is useful for MPSC MAINS PAPER 3

• World Health Statistics 2013 attribute these current positive trends to the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the diverse efforts made to meet the 2015 deadline for their associated targets.
• The World Health Organization's (WHO) annual report indicates that substantial progress has been made in the past decade toward reducing child and maternal mortality, improving nutrition, and reducing morbidity and mortality due to HIV infection, tuberculosis, and malaria.
• As the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approach the 2015 deadline, this year’s World Health Statistics shows the considerable progress made in reducing child and maternal deaths, improving nutrition and reducing deaths and illness from HIV infection, tuberculosis and malaria.
• It shows that, in absolute terms, countries in the lowest 25% category of health status have made impressive health progress .
• For example, the absolute gap in child mortality between the top and bottom countries was reduced from 171 deaths per 1000 live births in 1990 to 107 deaths per 1000 live births in 2011.
• Some countries that were among those with the world’s highest child mortality rates in 1990 – including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Madagascar, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal and Timor-Leste – have improved child survival to such an extent that they no longer belong to that group.
• However, despite the fact that -27 countries have reached the MDG target already, the current rates of progress will not be sufficient to reach the global target of a two-thirds reduction in 1990 levels of child mortality by 2015.
• In 1990, countries with the highest rates of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth had on average 915 more maternal deaths per 100 000 live births than countries with the lowest rates. By 2010, this gap had narrowed to 512 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births. Unfortunately the global rate of decline (of 3%) will need to double to achieve the MDG target of reducing maternal mortality ratio by three quarters.
• The gap between countries with the highest and lowest rates of new HIV infections narrowed from 360 to 261 people per 100 000 population between 1990 and 2011.
• While new HIV infections increased six-fold for countries with the lowest rates, the group of countries with the highest rates have cut new HIV infections by 27%.
• Globally, tuberculosis (TB) deaths have decreased by more than 40% since 1990 and the trend indicates that this will reach 50% by 2015. 

Other key trends in this year’s report include:

Preterm births: Every year around 15 million babies are born preterm (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) and one million of them die. Preterm birth is the world’s leading killer of newborn babies and the second most important cause of death (after pneumonia) in all children aged less than 5 years.

Diabetes: Almost 10% of the world’s adult population has diabetes, measured by elevated fasting blood glucose (≥126mg/dl). People with diabetes have increased risk of stroke and are 10 times more likely to need a lower limb amputation than people who do not have diabetes.

Access to medicines: Many low- and middle-income countries face a scarcity of medicines in the public sector, forcing people to the private sector where prices can be up to 16 times higher. In these countries, an average of only 57% (and as little as 3%) of selected generic medicines are available in the public sector.

Saving Children lives: World has made significant progress in reducing child death by 40% from nearly 12 million deaths in 1990 to less than 7 million in 2011.Global death rate for children under 5 age have been dropping by an average rate of 2.5% each year for the last two decades. Unfortunately this progress will not be sufficient to reach the global target of a two thirds reduction in 1990 levels of mortality by the year 2015. Almost 75% deaths are caused by just six conditions: neo natal cases, pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, AIDS and measles.

KEY FACTS:

• everyday about 800 women die due to complication of pregnancy and childbirth.
• In some countries, less than 10% women who want to prevent pregnancy have access to any contraceptive methods.
• The government of Luxembourg spends more money on health per person than any other country in the world.
• 80% of Malaria death occurs in just 14 countries.
• China now has higher life expectancy at birth than 7 of 10 countries in eastern Europe.
• Almost half of all countries surveyed have access to less than half the essential medicines they need for basic health care in the public sector.
To read more about current affairs for the preparation of MPSC and UPSC exam please visit:www.mpscmatter.blogspot.in