Every year the World Health Organization produces a report on the health of world population. The report is a compilation of data and statistics collected from its 193 member states. WHO has just released the report for this year - the World Health Statistics 2009. A look at the report statistics indicates that while there have been improvements in child and maternal health in some regions, much more work is needed in order to reach the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015 (the date the goals were set to be accomplished).

While the proportion of children under five suffering from under-nutrition has declined overall, progress has remained uneven and an estimated 112 million children are underweight. Under-nutrition remains the top underlying cause of child mortality and is estimated to be responsible for one third of child deaths.

Improvements in maternal health and survival are also lacking. The global maternal mortality ratio of approximately 400 per 100,000 live births has barely changed since 1990. There has been no measurable improvement from 1990-2005 in maternal mortalities in the African region, where the ratio is a sobering 900 per 100,000 live births. 99% of the 536,000 women who die from complications during pregnancy or childbirth each year are from developing countries.

However, not all statistics are bleak. “The data shows that there have been significant improvements in the coverage of public health interventions since 1990.” Improvements in immunization coverage, the use of insecticide bed nets, and other efforts have helped lead to the reduction in child mortality as well. Reports like the World Health Statistics 2009 will continue to emphasize the need for such improvements and for strengthening other initiatives as the global community presses forward to achieve the MDGs in time.  

See the full report – World Health Statistics 2009>>