Health care in Antigua and Barbuda

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Health care in Antigua and Barbuda is provided through four institutions maintained for the care of the sick and aged. Holberton Hospital, with 135 beds, is the only public acute care facility. The only private hospital is Adelin Medical Center. Other facilities include the Fiennes Institute for the aged, with 100 beds, and the Mental Hospital, with 150 beds. In addition, 9 health centers and 18 dispensaries are located throughout the country. As of 2004, there were an estimated 17 physicians, 328 nurses, and 18 dentists per 100,000 people. [1]

Gaston Browne said in November 2018 that the health sector stood out like a jewel in the list of the country's accomplishment since independence. [2]

The infant mortality rate in 2019 was estimated at 6 per 1,000 live births, down from 12 in 1998. [3] The average life expectancy was 77 years in 2018. [4] As of 1995, 100% of the population was immunized against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus and 94% against measles, mumps, and rubella. The leading causes of death included cancer, cardiovascular disease, and trauma.

By the end of 2003, 271 cases of HIV/AIDS had been reported. As of that year, the annual incidence of AIDS was 209 per million people. The government approved a national policy on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases in 1997.

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'Health in the Comoros continues to face public health problems characteristic of developing countries. After Comoros's independence in 1975, the French withdrew their medical teams, leaving the three islands' already rudimentary health care system in a state of severe crisis. French assistance was eventually resumed, and other nations also contributed medical assistance to the young republic. Despite improvements in life expectancy and the infant mortality rate, the overall qualify of health care has not improved significantly.

Health in Indonesia is affected by a number of factors. Indonesia has over 26,000 health care facilities; 2,000 hospitals, 9,000 community health centres and private clinics, 1,100 dentist clinics and 1,000 opticians. The country lacks doctors with only 0.4 doctors per 1,000 population. In 2018, Indonesia's healthcare spending was US$38.3 billion, 4.18% of their GDP, and is expected to rise to US$51 billion in 2020.

Health in Kenya

Tropical diseases, especially malaria and tuberculosis, have long been a public health problem in Kenya. In recent years, infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), also has become a severe problem. Estimates of the incidence of infection differ widely.

Health in Mali

Mali, one of the world’s poorest nations, is greatly affected by poverty, malnutrition, epidemics, and inadequate hygiene and sanitation. Mali's health and development indicators rank among the worst in the world, with little improvement over the last 20 years. Progress is impeded by Mali's poverty and by a lack of physicians. The 2012 conflict in northern Mali exacerbated difficulties in delivering health services to refugees living in the north.

Health in Tajikistan Overview of health in Tajikistan

The Tajikistan health system is influenced by the former Soviet legacy. It is ranked as the poorest country within the WHO European region, including the lowest total health expenditure per capita. Tajikistan is ranked 129th as Human Development Index of 188 countries, with an Index of 0.627 in 2016. In 2016, the SDG Index value was 56. In Tajikistan health indicators such as infant and maternal mortality rates are among the highest of the former Soviet republics. In the post-Soviet era, life expectancy has decreased because of poor nutrition, polluted water supplies, and increased incidence of cholera, malaria, tuberculosis, and typhoid. Because the health care system has deteriorated badly and receives insufficient funding and because sanitation and water supply systems are in declining condition, Tajikistan has a high risk of epidemic disease.

In the post-Soviet era, the quality of Uzbekistan’s health care has declined. Between 1992 and 2003, spending on health care and the ratio of hospital beds to population both decreased by nearly 50 percent, and Russian emigration in that decade deprived the health system of many practitioners. In 2004 Uzbekistan had 53 hospital beds per 10,000 population. Basic medical supplies such as disposable needles, anesthetics, and antibiotics are in very short supply. Although all citizens nominally are entitled to free health care, in the post-Soviet era bribery has become a common way to bypass the slow and limited service of the state system. In the early 2000s, policy has focused on improving primary health care facilities and cutting the cost of inpatient facilities. The state budget for 2006 allotted 11.1 percent to health expenditures, compared with 10.9 percent in 2005.

Botswana's healthcare system has been steadily improving and expanding its infrastructure to become more accessible. The country's position as an upper middle-income country has allowed them to make strides in universal healthcare access for much of Botswana's population. The majority of the Botswana's 2.3 million inhabitants now live within five kilometers of a healthcare facility. The government of Botswana stresses primary healthcare with an emphasis on disease prevention and healthy living. As a result, the infant mortality and maternal mortality rates have been on a steady decline. The country's improving healthcare infrastructure has also been reflected in an increase of the average life expectancy from birth, with nearly all births occurring in healthcare facilities.

Health in Burkina Faso

A landlocked sub-Saharan country, Burkina Faso is among the poorest countries in the world—44 percent of its population lives below the international poverty line of US$1.90 per day —and it ranks 185th out of 188 countries on UNDP's 2016 Human Development Index .Rapid population growth, gender inequality, and low levels of educational attainment contribute to food insecurity and poverty in Burkina Faso. The total population is just over 20 million with the estimated population growth rate is 3.1 percent per year and seven out of 10 Burkinabe are younger than 30. Total health care expenditures were an estimated 5% of GDP. Total expenditure on health per capita is 82 in 2014.

Health in Burundi

Following independence, the World Health Organization (WHO) assisted in the organization of public health services and the training of sanitarians and public health nurses for Burundi. Students from Burundi received medical training at universities in France and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. WHO coordinated all public health programs and helped in campaigns against smallpox, tuberculosis, and malaria.

Health in the Central African Republic

Health in the Central African Republic has been degraded by years of internal conflict and economic turmoil since independence from France in 1960. One sixth of its population is in need of acute medical care. Endemic diseases also put a hide demand on the health infrastructure, which requires outside assistance to sustain itself.

Health in Chad is suffering from a weak health system in Chad. Access to medical services is very limited and the health system struggles with shortage of medical staff, medicines and equipment. In 2018, the UNHCR reported that Chad currently has 615.681 people of concern, including 446.091 refugees and asylum seekers. There is a physician density on 0.04 per 1,000 population and nurse and midwife density on 0.31 per 1,000 population. The life expectancy at birth for people born in Chad, is 53 years for men and 55 years for women (2016). In 2019 Chad ranked as 187 out of 189 countries, on the human development index. Which place the country as a low human development country.

The public medical services of Ivory Coast are more important than the small number of private physicians and clinics. As of 2004, there were an estimated 9 physicians, 31 nurses, and 15 midwives per 100,000 people. About 77 percent of the population had access to safe water in 2000. Total health care expenditures were estimated at 3.7 percent of GDP.

In Djibouti, malnutrition is severe and the incidence of tuberculosis is high. Malaria is low.

The national health system of Equatorial Guinea consists of four levels: health posts in each village of 600 people, dispensaries in health centers with a qualified nurse at the intermediate level, district level hospitals, and two referral hospitals at the most centralized level. In 2004, there were an estimated 25 physicians, 40 nurses, 1 dentist, 1 pharmacist, and 2 midwives per 100,000 people.

Most of the health services of Gabon are public, but there are some private institutions, of which the best known is the hospital established in 1913 in Lambaréné by Albert Schweitzer. The hospital is now partially subsidized by the Gabonese government.

Health in South Africa touches on various aspects of health including the infectious diseases, Nutrition, Mental Health and Maternal care.

The Republic of Moldova has a universal health care system.

Health in Lesotho

The average life expectancy at birth in Lesotho is 53.7 years (2018). In 2005 life expectancy was 42.5, giving an increase of 11 years over the past 13 years. Lesotho’s Human development index value for 2018 is 0.518 — which put the country in the low human development category— positioning it at 164 out of 189 countries and territories.

Even though Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in the western hemisphere, this prosperity has still left behind an estimated 500,000 people who remain trapped in extreme poverty. The country have major socioeconomic and health inequalities between the country’s urban and rural populations, further, the indigenous population lives in more disadvantaged conditions and experiences greater vulnerability in health. In general, the population living in more marginalized areas has less service coverage and less access to health care.

The Health in Eswatini is poor and four years into the United Nations sustainable development goals, Eswatini seems unlikely to achieve goal on health. As a result of 63% poverty prevalence, 27% HIV prevalence, and poor health systems, maternal mortality rate is a high 389/100,000 live births, and under 5 mortality rate is 70.4/1000 live births resulting in a life expectancy that remains amongst the lowest in the world. Despite significant international aid, the government fails to adequately fund the health sector. Nurses are now and again engaged in demonstrations over poor working conditions, drug stock outs, all of which impairs quality health delivery. Despite tuberculosis and AIDS being major causes of death, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases are on the rise. Primary health care is relatively free in Eswatini save for its poor quality to meet the needs of the people. Road traffic accidents have increased over the years and they form a significant share of deaths in the country.

References

  1. "An Expat Guide to Healthcare in Antigua and Barbuda". Expat Focus. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  2. "Ours is a glorious quest – PM Browne". Antigua Observer. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  3. "Infant Mortality in Antigua and Barbuda". World Bank. 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  4. "Antigua and Barbuda". World Bank. 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2021.