In September 2000, 189 countries adopted the Millennium Declaration, a commitment by rich and poor nations alike to end extreme poverty around the world. Elements of the declaration were translated into a roadmap — the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) — that sets targets to be reached by 2015.
Below is a list of the MDGs that relate to health concerns, and a look at Mozambique’s progress.
| GOAL: Reduce child mortality | |
|---|---|
| TARGET | MOZAMBIQUE’S PROGRESS |
| Reduce the under-five mortality rate by 66% | Under-five mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) 1990: 235 2006: 138 Target: 108 Infant mortality rate (0-1 year, per 1,000 live births) |
| GOAL: Improve maternal health | |
| TARGET | MOZAMBIQUE’S PROGRESS |
| Reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters | Maternal mortality ratio (number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) 2005: 520 Target: 250 Percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel |
| GOAL: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases | |
| TARGET | MOZAMBIQUE’S PROGRESS |
| Stop and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS | HIV prevalence among pregnant women aged 15-24 years 2002: 14.7% 2003: 12.9% |
| Stop and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases | Prevalence and death rates associated with tuberculosis 2001: 9.7% 2003: 11% Target: 6.0% Prevalence and death rates associated with malaria |
| GOAL: Ensure environmental sustainability | |
| TARGET | MOZAMBIQUE’S PROGRESS |
| Halve the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking-water and sanitation | Percentage of population with using an improved water source, urban and rural 2001: 37.1% 2004: 43% Target: 70% |
| Achieve a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020 | Percentage of population using adequate sanitation facilities, urban and rural 2004: 32% Target: 60% |
| GOAL: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger | |
| TARGET | MOZAMBIQUE’S PROGRESS |
| Reduce the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by 50% | Prevalence of underweight children under five years of age 2001: 26% 2003: 23.7% Target: 17% |
Sources: Report on the Millennium Development Goals: Mozambique 2005 (pdf), The State of the World’s Children 2008: Child Survival (UNICEF)
How can I purchase a video of the Birth of a Surgeon, Mozambique? I would like to use it for teaching purposes in Nigeria.
“Birth of a Surgeon, Mozambique”, is the best video that I have ever watched on any TV station. It reminds me of the role the midwives played in emergency obstetric care in Nigeria in the 60’s, 70’s and the 80’s. I saw experienced midwives come to the aid of newly graduated medical doctors when some of their patients were in life threatning situations in labor.
I would like to purchase the video whenever it is out on sale for educational purposes.
Thank you for opening my eyes to the terrible deficiency in health care in this country. It moves me to try to help and I hope it has the same effect on other so the situation can change for the better.