Thailand reduces child deaths and health inequality

doi:10.1136/bmj.334.7593.558-b

BMJ 2007;334:558 (17 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.334.7593.558-b

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Thailand reduces child deaths and health inequality

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

In 1990, 27 of each 1000 children born in Thailand died beforereaching their fifth birthday. By 2000, this figure had fallenby a third to just under 19. Importantly, death rates fell fastestamong the poor. An analysis of data from two national censusesshows that in 1990 the poorest fifth of the Thai populationhad a mortality rate among under 5s that was three times higherthan the richest fifth. By 2000 the mortality gap between richand poor had halved. How did they do it?

Economic development certainly helped, say the authors. Duringthe 10 years under study, people in Thailand got richer andthe benefits of the economic boom were well distributed, whichreduced economic inequality. At the same time, a series of healthinsurance programmes made health care affordable, primary clinicswere established in every village, and the number of healthcarevisits quadrupled. Family planning, . . . [Full text of this article]

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