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The World Health Organization’s 64th World Health Assembly, being held in Geneva (May 16–24), ends today (see WHO Media Centre).
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One of the resources released to their 193 member nations, and to the public, during the past week is a compilation of global health statistics put together by WHOSIS (WHO Statistical Information System).
World Health Statistics 2011
World Health Statistics 2011 contains WHO’s annual compilation of health-related data for its 193 Member States, and includes a summary of the progress made towards achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and associated targets.
Fact sheet N°290
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This report provides a comprehensive summary of the current status of national health and health systems in the following nine areas:
- life expectancy and mortality
- cause-specific mortality and morbidity
- selected infectious diseases
- health service coverage
- risk factors
- health workforce, infrastructure and essential medicines
- health expenditure
- health inequities
- demographic and socioeconomic statistics.
You’ll find most of the information provided in tables, charts, graphs and maps.
While this report cites modest improvements in global health on a number of fronts (malnutrition, vaccines, lower child and material mortality rates, stabilization of number of new HIV infections), progress varies from country-to-country, and many significant challenges remain.
You’ll find an overview of some of the progress that has been made in the following Millennium Development Goals FAQ sheet.
Millennium Development Goals: progress towards the health-related Millennium Development Goals
Fact sheet N°290
May 2011
Key facts
- Fewer children are dying. Annual global deaths of children under five years of age fell to 8.1 million in 2009 from 12.4 million in 1990.
- Fewer children are underweight. The percentage of underweight children under five years old is estimated to have dropped from 25% in 1990 to 16% in 2010.
- More women get skilled help during childbirth. The proportion of births attended by a skilled health worker has increased globally, however, in the WHO Africa and South-East Asia regions fewer than 50% of all births were attended.
- Fewer people are contracting HIV. New HIV infections have declined by 17% globally from 2001–2009.
- Tuberculosis treatment is more successful. Existing cases of TB are declining, along with deaths among HIV-negative TB cases.
- More people have safe drinking-water, but not enough have toilets. The world is on track to achieve the MDG target on access to safe drinking-water but more needs to be done to achieve the sanitation target.
The 2011 World Health Statistics report provides us with some sorely needed good news, and serves as a reminder of how much more needs to be done.