Premium
Closing the gaps in child health in the P acific: An achievable goal in the next 20 years
Author(s) -
Duke Trevor,
Kado Joseph H,
Auto James,
Amini James,
Gilbert Katherine
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.12804
Subject(s) - new guinea , medicine , child mortality , closing (real estate) , demography , child health , falling (accident) , solidarity , mortality rate , socioeconomics , environmental health , pediatrics , population , ethnology , sociology , politics , political science , law , history
It is not inconceivable that by 2035 the substantial gaps in child health across the P acific can close significantly. Currently, A ustralia and N ew Z ealand have child mortality rates of 5 and 6 per 1000 live births, respectively, while P acific island developing nations have under 5 mortality rates ranging from 13 to 16 ( V anuatu, F iji and T onga) to 47 and 58 per 1000 live births ( K iribati and P apua N ew G uinea, respectively). However, these Pacific child mortality rates are falling, by an average of 1.4% per year since 1990, and more rapidly (1.9% per year) since 2000. Based on progress elsewhere, there is a need to (i) define the specific things needed to close the gaps in child health; (ii) be far more ambitious and hopeful than ever before; and (iii) form a new regional compact based on solidarity and interdependence.