Belarus among the top 50 countries with best antenatal care

Belarus is among the 50 countries with the best antenatal care, BelTA learnt from the Healthcare Ministry of Belarus.

The Healthcare Ministry cited the WHO World Health Statistics 2014 that analyzes the countries’ fulfillment of health-related millennium development goals (MDG) and global health indicators. The health-related millennium development goals include reduction in the under-five mortality rate, maternal mortality ratio, improvement of maternal health, fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

In terms of the universal access to reproductive-health services, Belarus exceeds the MDG target (90%) by 5% and stands in the same line as Czechia, France, Finland, Poland, Luxemburg, Montenegro, Slovakia and Hungary.

In terms of the unmet need for family planning (the share of women able to give birth to children, but postponing the childbirth), Belarus posts the same indicators as the majority of developed countries of Europe (Austria, Denmark, Finland, Czechia, Ireland, the Netherlands, Russia and Sweden).

Under-five mortality rate (probability of dying by age five per 1,000 live births) makes up 5% in Belarus, which is the best indicator in the CIS. The same indicators are posted by Greece, Lithuania, Spain, Poland and Croatia. In terms of the average annual rate of decline (AARD) in under-five mortality rate in 1990–2012 Belarus left behind countries, like Belgium, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, France, Switzerland, and Sweden.

Belarus successfully fulfilled the target related to the measles immunization coverage among 1-year-olds. 100% of children in Belarus are inoculated against this disease. In this indicator Belarus is ahead of countries, like Austria, Serbia, Ukraine, France, Latvia, Italy, Switzerland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom.

The WHO World Health Statistics is published annually and is the most complete collection of the existing global health-related statistics. It covers 194 countries.