Millennium Development Goals

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Millennium Development Goals

• Carla AbouZahr
• Coordinator, Statistics, Monitoring and Analysis
• Department of Health Statistics and Informatics
• World Health Editors Network
• Geneva 18 May 2008

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Summary

• Some good news
• Some mixed
• Continuing challenges - mortality
• Understanding the nature of the problem
• What needs to be done by
• Countries
• Development partners
• WHO

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In 2006, childhood deaths fell below 10 million
Measles immunization increased since 1990
Underweight prevalence has declined 58 countries
on track to achieve MDG1
76 developing countries on track to reach MDG
target on safe drinking water
4
Use of insecticide treatment bed nets has
increased But coverage far short 60 Abuja
Declaration target
The number of people living with HIV continues
to rise but is lower than previously estimated
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Child mortality few countries will achieve MDG
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Source Christopher Murray Institute for Health
Metrics and Evaluation
MDG4 4.3 annual reduction
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Progress toward MDG4
Rapid progress is possible. Further analysis of
these well performing countries under way. No
country in sub-Saharan Africa

• The 10 countries with least progress are in
  sub-Saharan Africa

• Contextual factors
• High HIV prevalence

• Conflict

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Infections and diarrhoea kill most under 5sBut
one in three deaths occurs in 1st month
Source WHO, World Health Report 2005
Malnutrition
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MDG5 Risk of pregnancy and childbirth UNICEF,
UNFPA, World Bank estimates for 2005
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Progress toward MDG5

• None of these countries are in
• sub-Saharan Africa or South
• Asia
• Even among the ten best
• performers
• 7 have ratios over 100

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Of 18 life-saving interventions for mothers and
children, only vaccinations are reaching 80
coverage
Interventions able to be scheduled routinely
(antenatal care) have higher coverage than those
needing functional health systems and 24-hour
availability (care during delivery, treatment of
childhood illnesses)
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Failures in coverage of care
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The poor are least likely to access care Unmet
need for care (coverage gap) higher for poorest
than for richest
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What can countries do?

• Invest in health systems
• Recognize that health services often contribute
  to increasing inequities
• Remove financial barriers (user fees, etc)
• Prioritize diseases of the poor
• Deploy/improve services where the poor live
• Employ appropriate delivery channels
• Monitor implementation, coverage and impact with
  an equity lens

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What can the development community do?

• Invest in health systems
• Embed health in social and economic planning
  multisectoral response
• Ensure long-term predictable aid
• Hold all partners accountable for their
  performance against international agreements

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What will WHO do?

• Strengthen health situation and trends
  monitoring global health observatory
• Equity focus poverty, gender, geography
• Cause-specific mortality trends.
• Monitor global health initiatives and their
  impact on health services.
• Enhance understanding of data limitations and
  need for investments in health information
  systems

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World Health Statistics 2008

• Country-by-country health indicators
• Ten highlights in global health
• Understanding the data and estimates