The Health of a Nation

The World Health Organization (WHO) regularly gets together with leaders around the world to discuss global health issues.  They are the impotence behind the eradication efforts of Small pox, for example.  Part of their goals are to establish health-related targets within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are then adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. This not only helps evaluate the "health" of a nation, but help develop achievable methods of combating some of these major social injustices and serious health issues around the world.

I always look at these to help gauge what kind of maladies I will be dealing with in the area I am working in, and also ways to try and help community development.  So...if you are bored already, feel free to stop reading, but if you want a little more information - stay tuned...

 I will be comparing the three countries I have worked in, and many of you have visited (Honduras/U.S.) to better assess and know what each statistic is saying. 

Life Expectancy at birth (years)
U.S. - 79.3
Honduras - 74.6
Equatorial Guinea - 58.2 (#12 lowest in the world)
Globally - 71.4

Healthy Life Expectancy (years)
U.S. -  69.1
Honduras - 64.9
Equatorial Guinea - 51.2
Globally - 63.1

Maternal Mortality Rate  (per 100,000)
U.S. - 14
Honduras - 129
Equatorial  Guinea - 342
Globally - 216

Children less than 5 years old - mortality rate (per 1,000)
U.S. - 6.5
Honduras - 20.4
Equatorial Guinea  94.1
Globally - 42.5

Births Attended by skilled personnel (percentage%)
U.S. - 99%
Honduras - 83%
Equatorial Guinea - 68%
Globally - 73%

Neonatal mortality Rate (per 1,000 live births)
U.S. - 3.6
Honduras - 11.0
Equatorial Guinea - 33.1 (#15th lowest in the world)
Globally - 19.2

Malaria (per 1,000)
U.S. - not statistically relevant
Honduras - 3.2
Equatorial Guinea - 211.1
Globally - 98.6

Proportion of married or in-union women of reproductive  age who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods (percentage %)
U.S.- 83.4
Honduras - 76.0
Equatorial Guinea - 20.5
Globally - 76.0





Adolescent Birth Rate, 15-19 years old (per 1,000)
U.S. - 26.6
Honduras - 101.0
Equatorial Guinea - 176
Globally - 44.1

As you can see, Equatorial Guinea falls way underneath Honduras, the United States, and the global statistics in every category.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that Honduras was considerably above the global statistics in almost every category.  Bottom line - I have my work cut out for me, and the need is great!  I thought I was much needed in Honduras, the statistics here show I am even more in need here.  I am praying that I can make a difference, however small it may be.