New Delhi: Death between the ages of 30 and 70 years from four major diseases -- cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases -- is still unacceptably high at 21.6% in the South-East Asia Region, said the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Moreover, the tuberculosis mortality rate in the region increased by 8.6% in 2021 compared to 2015, said Saima Wazed, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region (SEARO).
“Despite global commitments to the right to health, nearly 40% of the Region’s people lack coverage by essential health services. Investment in health by national governments, which is the foundation of advancing the right to health, is unacceptably low, which has resulted in high out-of-pocket expenditure,” she added.
“The proportion of households experiencing financial hardship in accessing basic health care has been rising,” she added.
She, however, said the region, which includes India, has seen many gains and has much to celebrate with regard to the right to health.
The Universal Health Coverage service coverage index has improved from 47 in 2010 to 62 in 2021.
The average density of medical doctors, nurses and midwives in the Region stands at 28.05 per 10, 000 population, up by 30.5% since 2015.
“The region achieved a 68.5% reduction in the maternal mortality ratio between 2000 and 2020. Under-five mortality rate declined significantly from 84 per 1000 livebirths in 2000 to 29 per 1000 livebirths in 2021 and the neonatal mortality rate from 41 per 1000 livebirths in 2000 to 17 per 1000 livebirths in 2021. Between 2015 and 2021 new HIV infections declined by 25% and malaria incidence by 62%,” she said.
However, despite progress, we still have a considerable way to go to make the right to health a reality for all in the WHO South-East Asia Region, the Regional Director said.
Despite global commitments to the right to health, nearly 40% of the region’s people lack coverage by essential health services.
“TB mortality rate in the region increased by 8.6% in 2021 compared to 2015. The probability of death between the ages of 30 and 70 years from four major diseases - cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases - is still unacceptably high at 21.6%,” she said
To fulfil the right to health, both health services and the underlying determinants should be available, accessible, acceptable and of adequate quality, the Regional Director emphasized.
The WHO will focus the spotlight on the theme 'My Health, My Right' on World Health Day this year on April 7.
“Realizing the right to health for all means creating conditions where everyone, everywhere can access high quality health facilities, services and goods that prioritize people’s needs, understanding and dignity. It also means a full set of rights that enable people to live healthily, such as education, safe water and food, nutritious food, adequate housing, good working and environmental conditions and information - or the underlying determinants of health,” she said.
“The poorest and groups with vulnerabilities face the greatest barriers in accessing needed healthcare, often with catastrophic consequences for their health and wellbeing. Poor quality care accounts for more disease and deaths than lack of access to care,” the WHO SEARO head said.
Too many still face stigma related to certain health conditions, such as TB, HIV/AIDS, disability or mental ill-health. They also face discrimination in the health system based on their gender, class, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or other characteristics, the Regional Director said.
“All governments and other duty-bearers have the obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the right to health and other human rights and to ensure their progressive realization. Governments need to increase investments in health, especially to advance universal health coverage grounded in the primary health care approach,” she said.
“Good laws can lay the foundation for more effective tobacco control, environmental protection, better nutrition, control of obesity and cardiovascular diseases, fair and equal working conditions, and much more. Health services need to be made more available, accessible, acceptable and of better quality for all,” Wazed said.
