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The Lancet acknowledges Argentina's child mortality rates have dropped dramatically

Monday, May 5th 2014 - 06:11 UTC
Full article 3 comments
According to the most prestigious medical journal, there are 14.2 under five child deaths per 1,000 births in Argentina According to the most prestigious medical journal, there are 14.2 under five child deaths per 1,000 births in Argentina
Resources and maternal schooling have been crucial in the improvements, says Health-care minister Manzur  Resources and maternal schooling have been crucial in the improvements, says Health-care minister Manzur

Argentina has been improving its mortality rates over the past decades, as it was revealed on Friday by the prestigious medical journal The Lancet. Although Argentina's rates are better than other countries in the region, including Brazil, Cuba, Uruguay and Chile among others still have the better numbers.

 In 2000, all the countries agreed that child mortality rate had to be reduced and according to The Lancet, many nations have been doing their best to improve those rates. However, there is much to do yet.

According to The Lancet, Argentina between 1990 and 2013 reduced its child mortality rate by 3.1% every year. According to the journal, there are 14.2 under five child deaths per 1,000 births.

In Brazil, there are 18 child deaths per 1,000 births and the rate has reduced in a 4.6% annually between 1990 and 2013.

However, the other country’s neighbors have a better record. In Chile, 7.4 deaths of children under five are reported every 1,000 births; in Uruguay, the number climbs to 10.9. Between 1990 and 2013, Chile reduced children mortality in a 4.2% every year whereas in Uruguay the improvement reached the 3.4%.

The country ruled by Evo Morales is still having problems with rates. In Bolivia, there are 41.9 child deaths per 1,000, whereas in Colombia, the number grows to 17.9. However, Bolivia has been able to reduce child mortality 42% since 1990.

In the Castro brothers' Cuba, there are 5.7 child deaths per 1,000 births. Due to the island’s medical policies, from 1990 to 2013, the rate dropped 3.9% annually.

Comparing the results with developed Canada, it is clear that statistics have to be improved. In Canada, 5.4 children under five die every 1,000 births and there are only 2,100 reported deaths.

President Cristina Fernández’ Health Minister Juan Manzur praised the results achieved in the country and said that he wanted to reduce the rate of child mortality to 2.5 per 10,000 births.

However, according to the brief published by The Lancet, that goal is far beyond expectations. According to the experts, by 2030, the European countries will have a rate of 0-2 child deaths per 1,000 births. They estimate that Chile’s rate will be between 3-4 and Argentina’s will be in 5-9 as well as Uruguay and Brazil, which was not included in the survey.

“The Washington University and The Lancet, the top medical journal in the world, are acknowledging that Argentina and other countries have been reducing child and maternal mortality. This gives us energy to deepen the policies started in 2003, which made it possible this reduction in both indicators,” the minister added.

According to Manzur, the situation improved during the last decade because the government devoted more resources to build hospitals and to hire more doctors.

“If the number of maternal schooling grows, the rate of child mortality descends. In Argentina, more than 1,800 schools have been built since 2003. Results are visible,” the minister concluded.

In coincidence with Manzur, The Lancet explained that maternal education was the key factor in South America to explain the reduction in child mortality.

Categories: Health & Science, Argentina.

Top Comments

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  • paulcedron

    “The Lancet acknowledges Argentina's child mortality rates have dropped dramatically”
    true.
    but manzur does not deserve any recognition for that.
    gonzalez garcía, maybe.
    manzur is like a curse for public health.

    May 05th, 2014 - 11:46 am 0
  • Condorito

    Great to see Chile leading South America in such an important area. Still a long way to go, but going in the right direction.

    May 05th, 2014 - 12:39 pm 0
  • British_Kirchnerist

    The Lancet has always acknowledged facts that British establishment propaganda would rather not, from this to the Iraq death toll

    May 07th, 2014 - 03:33 pm 0
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