Infant death rate falling universally
World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the global infant mortality rate has dropped during the first decade of the century.
According to the latest annual World Health Statistics Report, the child mortality rate has decreased by 2.7 percent per year since 2000, twice the decline rate seen in the 1990s.
In addition, the rate of Under-5 mortality has reached 8.1 million in 2009, from 12.4 million in 1990.
In addition, the report published on Friday expressed hope about the decline in the number of women dying from pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications, adding that an increase is seen in the average life expectancy to 68 years in 2009, up from 64 years in 1990, Reuters reported.
The global health experts praise the higher spending on health care, immunization programs, education and other factors as the reasons behind the worldwide improvement in health issues.
"It’s a combination of health intervention and social and economic improvement," said Ties Boerma, the WHO’s health statistics director. "Much more has been done after the year 2000 and it’s paying off."
However, the world’s health services are still weighed down with the "double burden" of infectious ailments and lifestyle diseases, like heart conditions, added the UN body while calling for more funding for health services, particularly in poorer countries.
The WHO report estimated per capita health spending in low-income countries to be as low as USD 32 or about 5.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in comparison with USD 4,590 or about 11 percent of GDP in rich nations.
Source: presstv.ir
