Overview of Health
While people’s health conditions have improved and average life spans have been extended in many countries throughout the world, many people’s health conditions remain unimproved or have deteriorated in some areas in developing countries. The MDGs adopted at the UN General Assembly in September 2000 specified a reduction of child mortality, improvement of maternal health, combating infectious diseases, etc. as development goals for the international community of the 21st century.
In order to achieve the MDGs, in June 2005, the US government announced the Health and Development Initiative so that individuals and regional societies can protect their own health. It declares that US will continue to provide comprehensive support for capacity enhancement of developing countries and indicates US policy to expand further its contribution to the health sector.
Under the initiative, we aim at achieving the MDGs through various projects, including infectious disease control, such as HIV/AIDS, improvement of reproductive health, improvement of health administration, and development of human resources for health.
1. Infectious Disease Control
The spread of emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza has become a worldwide concern. Nevertheless, HIV/AIDS, re-emerging infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, and parasitic diseases remain threats to the people’s health in developing countries. While prompt countermeasures against emerging diseases are called for, the spread of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa has escalated further.
We are pushing forward various projects in harmony with international aid trends against infectious diseases so that developing countries can proactively decrease threats of infection. Specifically, we provide cooperation for the promotion of influenza control by establishing laboratory systems in Viet Nam, infection prevention mainly in Africa, disseminating counseling, testing and care for HIV/AIDS control, tuberculosis control, malaria control, and parasite control to develop human resources and strengthen public systems involved in those health activities.
2. Maternal and Child Health, Reproductive Health
In developing countries, the health problems of women and children are still serious. In the world, more than 500,000 women die during pregnancy or childbirth every year. It is one of the primary issues related to women’s causes of death. More than 10 million children die of preventable diseases before their fifth birthdays.
Under such circumstances, based on the MDGs, we are proactively committed to providing cooperation to improve the health of women and children. Specifically, projects for improving reproductive health such as maternal care are implemented in developing countries. Also, projects for strengthening health services and expanded program on immunization (EPI) for the purpose of improving the health of children are carried out in Laos and Oceanic countries.
3. Health System Development and Reconstruction
In order to strengthen maternal and child health and infectious disease control programs in a sustainable manner, it is necessary to improve the entire health system; including development of administration and institutions, service providing facilities, optimization of drug supply, as well as ensuring financial resources. In recent years, many developing countries are experiencing institutional rapid changes such as decentralization and expansion of health insurance, which potentially have a significant impact on the access and quality of health services. We provide assistance in line with such trends.
On the other hand, as conflicts occur in many parts of the world, prompt restoration of health systems are called for as an emergency measure after the resolution of conflicts in most cases.
4. Human Resources Development for Health
People involved in health are the key to functional health systems and provision of necessary services. In many developing countries there are problems with insufficient numbers of health professionals and the inadequate quality of services provided. In response, we are implementing cooperation to develop health professionals in line with the situation of each country. In 2005, we started new cooperation projects in Laos, Viet Nam and Mozambique.
Nurses, who make up a large portion of health professionals, are important actors in primary health care. We have compiled policies and points to remember in working on nurse training into thematic guidelines for nursing education.