Let鈥檚 hear it for Tanzania. Despite being one of the world鈥檚 poorest nations, it has become a role model in how to reach global targets for reducing death rates of children and mothers 鈥� putting most of its poor African neighbours to shame. So says the World Health Organization.
Reports released (vol 371, p 1276) and this week at a , South Africa, show that of the 68 nations that account for 97 per cent of the world鈥檚 childhood and maternal deaths, only 16 are on track to meet Millennium Development Goals to cut deaths in children under 5 by two-thirds, and maternal deaths by three-quarters between 1990 and 2015.
Tanzania has succeeded through political leadership, the WHO says. Between 1999 and 2004 its government increased the annual amount spent on healthcare per citizen from $4.70 to $11.70. No other African governments matched this. Moreover, the money was spent evenly around the country, eliminating disparities that once favoured richer districts. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to be a rich country to reach the targets,鈥� says Anne Mason of the WHO.
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鈥淲e鈥檝e shown that you don鈥檛 need to be a rich country to reach the targets鈥�
As a result, child mortality fell by 11 per cent per year between 2000 and 2005, compared with just 1.4 per cent per year between 1990 and 1999. 鈥淲ith the current trend, Tanzania can reach the target for children,鈥� says Mason. Tanzania must do more to tackle deaths of newborns and maternal deaths, but targets for these can be reached too, she says.
