In 1000 live births
USA
7.2
Australia
5.2
Canada
5.2
Denmark
5.2
Finland
3.9
France
4.6
Singapore
2
The best figure
Japan, Norway
4
Switzerland
4.7
UK
5.9
These figures improved remarkably by 2010, but still USA is at the bottom.
In the developing countries (third world), the worst figures are in Somalia, Afghanistan, sub-Saharan African countries, and Yemen. Iraq before US invasion of 1991 and 2003 was ranking high among Arab countries, but became almost like Yemen, Somalia, and Jibouti, after US invasion (2003). The Gulf Arab countries showed a remarkable improvement in health indices and made fairly good use of its oil revenues. Although Saudi Arabia is the richest one, all others performed much better, because of:
(i)
Inefficiency and waste emulating the US system in a worse way.
(ii)
Much higher population than the others (28 million). By 2010, the infant mortality rate in Saudi Arabia came down to 12 per 1000 live births (was 27 in 2007 figures) but Malaysia infant mortality rate was only 3 per 1000 live births (better than USA figures and much better than Saudi Arabia figures) [1].
Malaysia spent US$ 604 in 2010 on health services. Saudi Arabia spent $768 while USA spent $7285 [1]. Malaysia spent 1/12 what USA spent and nevertheless had better indices than USA. Similarly Singapore spent a small fraction of what USA did; nevertheless, the infant mortality rate was 2 since 2000 and a little above one in 2010. How amazing!!!
It does not require a high IQ to discern that it is the blatant system of capitalism and avarice that brought these poor indices and high expense in USA. The financial debacle of 2008 and its sequelae will make things worse, unless egalitarian attitudes take the upper hand and enforce equity and justice in the market economy, seeking only profit by whatever means.
(6)
The health system should move from only curative medicine to preventative medicine and health promotion, as well. Most of the diseases nowadays are due to:
(a)
Junk Food—inducing obesity, which contains a lot of fat, many additives ,e.g., mono amino glutamate which gives good taste, increases insulin secretion, and ends in obesity and diabetes. Of course, there are other factors such as: more sedentary lifestyle, and in many third world countries including Saudi Arabia, opening more supermarkets, restaurants, and shops instead of playgrounds, walking stretches, and greenery.
(b)
Lack of Exercise
(c)
All types of Pollution
(d)
Smoking Tobacco
(e)
Drinking Alcohol
(f)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, including HIV.
In developing countries, lack of clean water, sanitation, drainage system, malaria, tuberculosis, high infant mortality rate due to early stopping of breast feeding, malnutrition, and multiple childhood infections, all play havoc and cause shortened life span.
If the major effort in these countries is spent on primary healthcare, health education, and supplying villages with clean potable water and good drainage system, providing the minimum requirements of healthy food, the health of these countries will improve dramatically.
(g)
Wars
Unfortunately wars never ceased in Africa, Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan, and so forth. Ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, Burma (Myanmar), and Fatani (Southern Thailand), sectarian violence in many other places, brought havoc to many countries. The worst sufferers were, as usual, children, women, and civilians.
Wars and Health
In an article by Victor Sidel under the title: “War, Terrorism and Public Health” in Medicine, Conflict and Survival (April–June 2008, Vol. 24, Nos.: 13–25), he exposed the dangers of wars on health. I will quote here the abstract:
War and terrorism, which are inseparable, cause death and disability, profound psychological damage, environmental destruction, disruption of the health infrastructure, refugee crises, and increased interpersonal, self-directed and collective violence. Weapons systems such as weapons of mass destruction and landmines have their own specific devastating effects. Preparation for war and preparedness for terrorism bring constraints on civil liberties and human rights, increase militarism, and divert resources from health care and from other needed services. War and terrorism may be best prevented through addressing their causes, which include limited resources, injustice, poverty and ethnic and religious enmity, and through strengthening the United Nations and the treaties controlling specific weapons systems, particularly weapons of mass destruction. In particular, the United States should cease its interference in the internal affairs of other nations and its advocacy of unilateral pre-emptive war.
After starting with the horrors of World War II, he commented on war on terror that it elevated fear, engendered hate, and increased militarilism even among people far removed from the attacks…with loss of liberties, discrimination against groups and individuals who are not terrorists, and diversion of resources better used to deal with problems in health, education, and other social services.
Wars in the twentieth century killed 200 million people, more than half of them were civilians. During each year of the last decade of the twentieth century there had been 20 wars, mainly civil. Millions died, many millions were maimed, still more millions were refugees (Total refugees in the world are about 50 millions). The whole infrastructure of many countries was in shambles after these wars. Rape was rampant in all these wars. In Bosnia-Herzegovina (in former Yugoslavia) more than 10,000 Muslim women were raped by the Serbs militias and army. Children are particularly vulnerable during and after the wars both physically and psychologically.
Land mines killed and maimed many millions in the last three decades of the twentieth century and many millions were widowed and orphaned. With wars, millions are driven from their homes and become refugees. Many areas of Africa suffered also from drought; famine spread several times in Somalia, Ethiopia, and the Horn of Africa in the last three or four decades.
The looming shortages of food crops are causing an increase of food prices, which many poor countries cannot afford. Hundreds of thousands of children were recruited in these wars (from age 7 to 17). In South Sudan, there were more than 300,000 children under arms from age seven to seventeen. Similar figures were found in Angola, Zaire, Congo, etc. From 1986 to 1996 united Nations organization reported that killing of two million children, six millions were maimed and twelve millions were without homes. There are more than 100 million land mines over the globe. There are ten million in Afghanistan, another ten million in Angola, seven million each in Cambodia and Iraq, and so forth. Thousands are killed or maimed each year, mainly children. The United Nations called for moratorium in production of these land mines, but the largest producer USA objected, followed by Israel, Hungary and Romania. The manufacturing of a landmine costs $3 but to dismantle it costs up to $1000!!
Iraqi children suffered greatly since 1991 (2nd Gulf War) until 2003 (invasion of Iraq) when the suffering became worse. Millions died in these wars and its sequelae (being maimed, orphaned, malnourished, spread of malignancy due to the depleted uranium used in missiles during attacks in the war on Iraq, and to squash the mutiny and revolts in Ba’qooba. The war on Iraq was costing $4 billion a month (2003–2011).
Children in Labor
United Nations agencies report that 800 million children under 15 years of age are working daily to get sustenance allowance, losing their right to education and play. Many are involved in very serious hard jobs which expose them to physical and mental ailments. Between 50 and 60 million children aged 5–11 are exposed to such horrendous situations.
Street Children: United Nations agencies report 100 million children without homes living in the streets, and are used by gangs to distribute drugs, stealing (pick pocketing), begging and prostitution. About a million children are working in prostitution in Asia (Thailand, India, Cambodia, Philippines, etc.) and are used to attract tourist from Europe, Australia and USA. There are also another million in Latin America working in prostitution.
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