Publication: Meeting the Challenges of Health Transition in the Middle East and North Africa : Building Partnerships for Results - Time for Strategic Action
Date
2010-06
ISSN
Published
2010-06
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
In its recent history, the Middle East
and North Africa region has made a remarkable progress in
expanding access to basic health services for its citizens,
and the Region can be justifiably proud of having achieved
one of the fastest rates of decline in child mortality among
all the developing regions of the world. These
accomplishments are particularly noteworthy in that the
Region maintained a steady mortality decline despite of the
periods of stagnation in economic growth that have affected
different parts of the Region over this period. They
reflect the benefits of past investments in basic health
services and the beneficiary effects of the broader social
and economic development, such as improved access to safe
drinking water and hygiene as well as the higher educational
attainment of girls - all of which are known to have a
positive impact on child and maternal health. These past
achievements form an important basis for addressing future
challenges. At the same time, the benefits of economic
development are bringing new risks and health issues that
will require substantial realignment of the existing
policies and programs. Middle East and North Africa region
has one of the youngest populations in the world; this
provides a window of demographic opportunity to prepare the
next generation of children and youth for a healthy and
productive adulthood, and avoid the unnecessary suffering
and heavy cost of modern diseases. The healthcare system
will also need to be prepared to provide adequate financial
protection and quality healthcare as the ageing population
will require increasing support to avoid premature deaths
and minimize the suffering from disabilities associated with
chronic diseases and injuries.
Citation
“World Bank. 2010. Meeting the Challenges of Health Transition in the Middle East and North Africa : Building Partnerships for Results - Time for Strategic Action. © Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/127efc30-760f-5725-b1be-2c52a43d63aa License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”