I came across some data on the changes in a variety of conventional indices of health care in Nicaragua since 1995. The data was complied by MINSA, the Ministry of Health for Nicaragua, for the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization
PAHO/WHO
The data suggests progress, which is great, but also shows the need for continued efforts.
One out of four adolescent women 15 to 19 years is already pregnant. Adolescent mothers, low birth weight, and chronic malnutrition are linked. The one adolescent mother who attended the clinic during my last visit ("Very Young Mothers," January 5, 2012) had a low birth weight infant and the infant was not gaining weight. Without intervention this infant is destined to be one of the 20% of children less than 5 years who will be malnourished.
A 2006 to 2007 survey reported that the fertility rate rate fell from 4.9 children per woman in 1995 to 2.9 a decade later. However there is a huge difference between the urban centers and the rural areas. In 2005 the fertility rate in the cities was 2.5 children per woman compared to 5.5 in the rural areas. My experience in the rural clinic where I help out supports this. Maternal mortality account for nearly 4% of all deaths.
A 2006 to 2007 survey reported child malnutrition in 20.4% of children under 5 and 5.1% with severe malnutrition. Malnutrition is twice as common in the rural regions.
Acute pesticide poisonings are vastly under reported.
Immunization coverage of children under 1 year with polio and pentavalent vaccines has declined by almost 6% since 2001.
The leading causes of infant mortality continue to be acute diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections.
Only 31.1% of Nicaraguan households have household water connections to potable water.
1995
|
1998
|
2000
|
2001
|
2005
|
|
Percent of infants with low birth rate
|
8.7
|
9.0
|
8.2
|
8.4
|
|
Percent of children less than 5 years with moderate to severe malnutrition
|
24.9
|
20.2
|
|||
Percent of mothers who exclusively breast feed for the first 120 days
of life
|
29.5
|
39.3
|
|||
Percent of births assisted by skilled health personnel
|
68
|
69.2
|
73.3
|
73.4
|
79.8
|
Annual vaccine preventable illnesses
|
458
|
2604
|
402
|
242
|
48
|
Annual number of dengue cases
|
2618
|
1009
|
2661
|
1915
|
|
Annual number of malaria cases
|
71380
|
34146
|
23878
|
10498
|
6642
|
Annual number of TB cases
|
69
|
54
|
47
|
48
|
35
|
One out of four adolescent women 15 to 19 years is already pregnant. Adolescent mothers, low birth weight, and chronic malnutrition are linked. The one adolescent mother who attended the clinic during my last visit ("Very Young Mothers," January 5, 2012) had a low birth weight infant and the infant was not gaining weight. Without intervention this infant is destined to be one of the 20% of children less than 5 years who will be malnourished.
A 2006 to 2007 survey reported that the fertility rate rate fell from 4.9 children per woman in 1995 to 2.9 a decade later. However there is a huge difference between the urban centers and the rural areas. In 2005 the fertility rate in the cities was 2.5 children per woman compared to 5.5 in the rural areas. My experience in the rural clinic where I help out supports this. Maternal mortality account for nearly 4% of all deaths.
A 2006 to 2007 survey reported child malnutrition in 20.4% of children under 5 and 5.1% with severe malnutrition. Malnutrition is twice as common in the rural regions.
Acute pesticide poisonings are vastly under reported.
Immunization coverage of children under 1 year with polio and pentavalent vaccines has declined by almost 6% since 2001.
The leading causes of infant mortality continue to be acute diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections.
Only 31.1% of Nicaraguan households have household water connections to potable water.
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