World health statistics quarterly. Rapport trimestriel de statistiques sanitaires mondiales
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Neonatal tetanus (NT) can be effectively prevented through immunization and clean delivery practices. However, NT claimed the lives of over 433,000 infants in 1991. It is endemic in 90 countries throughout the world. ⋯ NT consistently clusters in geographical areas and population groups where shared practices or the environment enhance the risk of cord contamination. 80% of the newborns who died of NT in 1991 were born in South-East Asia or Africa. Of the 90 countries endemic for NT, 10% produce 80% of the world's NT deaths. NT also clusters at country level.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Poliomyelitis has been virtually eliminated from the industrialized countries by mass campaigns conducted with oral polio vaccine (OPV). In 1988, the World Health Assembly set the goal of global eradication of poliomyelitis by the year 2000. The current WHO strategy for eradication uses three primary activities beyond routine immunization with OPV. ⋯ Eradication of polio from the Region of the Americas is close and may have already been achieved. In other regions, the number of reported polio cases has declined, largely as a result of high immunization coverage. As more countries implement polio eradication strategies, the number of polio cases will continue to fall until eradication is achieved.
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Available data indicate that pertussis remains an important disease during infancy and childhood, particularly among those who are inadequately immunized. Over the past 15 years, successful immunization programmes have been implemented in most countries in the world. Some problems have arisen in the industrialized world where pertussis had been well controlled previously. ⋯ All efforts should be directed to increase or maintain high immunization coverage with DPT immunization at the level of at least 90% in all districts. Surveillance of pertussis morbidity should be strengthened in all countries and ideally, pertussis should be a reportable disease. More information on the present epidemiological pattern of pertussis, especially age distribution of pertussis cases in developing countries, is needed to develop the policy of booster doses of DPT vaccine in children > 1 year.
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The global problem of acute pesticide poisoning has been confirmed as extensive by a variety of independent estimates. Further, it is also recognized to be a problem confined to the developing countries. Most estimates concerning the extent of acute pesticide poisoning have been based on data from hospital admissions which would include only the more serious cases. ⋯ This necessarily reflects only a fraction of the real problem. On the basis of a survey of self-reported minor poisoning carried out in the Asian region, it is estimated that there could be as many as 25 million agricultural workers in the developing world suffering an episode of poisoning each year. This article emphasizes the need to control the problem on a collaborative basis by all concerned, including national governments, agrochemical industries, international agencies, scientists and victims.
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World Health Stat Q · Jan 1988
Integrated programme for noncommunicable diseases prevention and control (NCD).
In spite of the difference between developed and developing countries, health conditions change in a predictable pattern: the mortality and morbidity rates caused by infectious diseases decline while the rates related to non-infectious pathology increase. Taking into account the increasing importance of noncommunicable diseases, the majority of countries are developing a set of disease-oriented (cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc.) prevention and control programmes as well as factor-oriented programmes such as anti-smoking, alcohol abuse and nutrition. ⋯ The four main directions being developed for the realization of this programme are: experimental testing, mathematical modelling, training activity and research development: At present WHO headquarters: has established 18 demonstration projects in 15 countries for experimental testing of different intervention programmes; is collecting mathematical models for prediction of efficacy and effectiveness of different alternatives and scenarios; is developing different types of training courses; is investigating the competing risk among noncommunicable diseases and time lag for different intervention programmes, etc. In order to develop all these directions many collaborating centres are participating, and close cooperation with some nongovernmental organizations has been established.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)