Health

Promoting primary healthcare in Timor-Leste.

At a time when people in many countries are enjoying longer life spans, there has been no improvement in the health status of people in developing countries, and in some cases conditions are actually worsening. JICA is working to improve public health and healthcare in developing countries in the four areas of infectious disease, maternal and child health, the development and promotion of public health systems, and human resources development.

In many countries, improving health standards have brought declines in both mortality and birth rates. The result has been a shift from the traditional demographic pattern of high birth rates accompanied by high mortality, to one characterized by low birthrates, low mortality, and an aging population.

Many factors have contributed to this change, including improvements in living environments and nutrition as a result of social and economic development, and the spread of education. Of particular importance has been the development of the health sector, which has brought health services within reach of an increasing number of people.

Among developing economies, however, there are countries and regions where health conditions have not only failed to improve, but have in fact worsened. As a result, there is now wide disparity in health standards between advanced and developing economies, between rich and poor, and between urban and rural dwellers.

For example, in Afghanistan and some parts of Africa, maternal mortality, which is the risk of death caused by factors relating to pregnancy and childbirth, is over 100 times higher than in Japan. Moreover, in Japan and other advanced nations, over 99% of newborns survive to their fifth birthday. In the world's least developed countries, almost 20% of children die before reaching the age of five because of diseases that could easily be prevented or treated if inoculation and basic medicines were available.

In other countries, civil wars and conflicts have destroyed public health and medical facilities and forced many doctors and nurses to flee across borders. The lack of basic public services in these nations is causing serious deterioration in health standards.

To improve health standards in developing countries, it will be necessary to build systems capable of providing quality health services economically. This will require appropriate government decision-making and the implementation of policies in a wide range of areas, including the development of the infrastructure and human resources needed to provide services. Governments will also need to secure public health resources and promote public participation in health initiatives. To improve health standards in developing countries, it will be necessary to build systems capable of providing quality health services economically. This will require appropriate government decision-making and the implementation of policies in a wide range of areas, including the development of the infrastructure and human resources needed to provide services. Governments will also need to secure public health resources and promote public participation in health initiatives.