14 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS Vol. 57, No. 1 (MMR), literacy rates, nutritional status, access to water and sanitation, and other social indicators based on estimates col- lected more frequently than every 5 or 10 years. The current system of data collection and feedback is clearly not responsive enough for a rapid appraisal of progress and constraints. "Abridged version of Strategiesfor Children in the 1990s, a UNICEF Policy Review, UNICEF, New York, 48 pages. Reproduced with permission from UNICEF" THE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS : HOW THEY SPEND THEIR MONEY Nations big and small, rich and poor are in the same class when it comes to their policies towards health of their citizenry. The report from World Priorities Inc (Box 25140, Washington D.C. 20007-USA) gives some startling information regarding the relative expenditure of various nations toward Health and Arms. The Haves : *The world's top two military powers USA & USSR rank 17th & 45th among infant mortality. *All the children in the world could be immunized against six fatal disease for $1.27 billion, the cost of one Trident submarine. The Have Nots : * The developing countries have increased military expenditure more than twice (since 1960), as fast as living standards as measured by per capita income. * In the developing world there are more soldiers per capita than physicians 1 : 240 vs 1 : 1950. * Yet the risk of dying from malnutrition and preventable diseases is 33 times higher than dying from war. *Every mhutte 15 children die of starvation or disease that could be prevented by immunizations, while every mhutte attolher $1.9 million hi public fttnds is spent on the military. * Immunization program costs $10 per child. Immunization saves the lives of 2 million children annually but reaches only 60% of newborns. Is there a reason to believe we can expect a reversal in their policies in 1990's ? Let us hope so. Thawing of tension between two major powers is a welcome sign. But what about other nations who have been spending more on soldiers than on souls, poor souls ? Abstracted by D. Vidyasagar

The haves and have nots : How they spend their money

Download PDF Report

Upload
d-vidyasagar
View
214
Download
0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: The haves and have nots : How they spend their money

14 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS Vol. 57, No. 1

(MMR), literacy rates, nutritional status, access to water and sanitation, and other social indicators based on estimates col- lected more frequently than every 5 or 10 years. The current system of data collection and feedback is clearly not responsive enough for a rapid appraisal of progress

and constraints.

"Abridged version of Strategies for Children in the 1990s, a UNICEF Policy Review, UNICEF, New York, 48 pages.

Reproduced with permission from UNICEF"

THE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS : HOW THEY SPEND THEIR MONEY

Nations big and small, rich and poor are in the same class when it comes to their policies towards health of their citizenry. The report from World Priorities Inc (Box 25140, Washington D.C. 20007-USA) gives some startling information regarding the relative expenditure of various nations toward Health and Arms.

The Haves : *The world's top two military powers USA & USSR rank 17th & 45th among infant

mortality. *All the children in the world could be immunized against six fatal disease for $1.27

billion, the cost of one Trident submarine. The Have Nots : * The developing countries have increased military expenditure more than twice (since

1960), as fast as living standards as measured by per capita income. * In the developing world there are more soldiers per capita than physicians 1 : 240 vs 1 :

1950. * Yet the risk of dying from malnutrition and preventable diseases is 33 times higher

than dying from war. *Every mhutte 15 children die of starvation or disease that could be prevented by

immunizations, while every mhutte attolher $1.9 million hi public fttnds is spent on the military.

* Immunization program costs $10 per child. Immunization saves the lives of 2 million children annually but reaches only 60% of newborns.

Is there a reason to believe we can expect a reversal in their policies in 1990's ? Let us hope so. Thawing of tension between two major powers is a welcome sign. But what about other nations who have been spending more on soldiers than on souls, poor souls ?

Abstracted by D. Vidyasagar