Inequality Blocks Further Reduction in Child Mortality in Latin America

A doctor attends a 10-month-old baby in a public health centre in Bolivia, in one of the regular check-ups that are a requisite for women to receive the mother-child subsidy, one of the mechanisms created to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the country. Credit: Franz Chávez/IPSBy Marianela JarroudSANTIAGO, Jun 9 2015 (IPS)The progress that Latin America has made in reducing child mortality is cited by international institutions as an example to be followed, and the region has met the fourth Millennium Development Goal, which is to cut the under-five mortality rate by two thirds.But this overall picture conceals huge differences between and within countries in the region.“There have been major strides in reducing child mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Luisa Brumana, regional health adviser with the United Nations children’s fund, UNICEF.“However, that improvement has not benefited everyone equally,” she told IPS from the UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, in Panama City.“We tend to think that children in rural areas face the worst conditions. But recently, with the migrations to the large cities and the bad conditions in poor outlying suburbs, things are just as complicated in those areas.” -- Luisa BrumanaIn Brumana’s view, “this inequality has given rise to large variations in health indicators, both between and within countries, with results generally based on wealth, education, geographic location, and/o...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Development & Aid Editors' Choice Featured Gender Global Governance Headlines Health Human Rights Inequity IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse Population Poverty & SDGs Projects Women's Health Inequality infant mortality Maternal Source Type: news