Community–based primary health care: a core strategy for achieving sustainable development goals for health

摘要

A major barrier to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for reducing maternal and child mortality by three quarters and two–thirds respectively, related to lack of access to care by millions living in abject poverty in rural populations and urban slums [1]. Notwithstanding the challenges, with extraordinary efforts by countries and development partners in the MDG era, child mortality has seen a remarkable decline. Under–five deaths decreased from 12.7 million in 1990 to 5.8 million in 2015 with an increase in the annual rate of under–five mortality reduction from 1.8% over the period 1990–2000 to 3.9% over 2000–2015. However, corresponding progress in reducing neonatal mortality has been less substantial, and the approximate 2.6 million neonates who die every year account for nearly half of all under–five deaths. The annual rate of decrease of neonatal mortality stands at 2.9%, as compared to 4.9% for the 1–59 month age group over this period [2,3].