New Delhi, October 15 (IANS). Research conducted by The Lancet Commission has revealed that child vaccination and low-cost prevention and treatment, as well as new health technologies, could reduce premature deaths by up to 50 percent.
The report outlines a roadmap for each nation to halve the risk of premature death by 2050.
The report argues that the target of “50 by 50” is achievable. If every country achieved this target, a person born in 2050 would have only a 15 percent chance of dying before the age of 70, compared to 31 percent for a person born in 2019.
It suggests measures such as increasing funding for child vaccination and low-cost prevention and treatment, as well as the development of new health technologies.
Since 1970, approximately 37 countries have more than halved the likelihood of their citizens dying before the age of 70, indicating that many countries have made significant progress in disease prevention and treatment.
“Today, the situation for reducing mortality is better than ever before,” said Gavin Yammy, director of Duke University's Center for Policy Impact in Global Health.
Yami said, “This is something which cannot be achieved easily. This will have extraordinary health, well-being and economic benefits. This will help economies grow along with reduction in mortality rate and reduce poverty.
The report urges countries to prioritize the 15 health conditions that most cause premature death, including tuberculosis and respiratory infections, diabetes, heart disease and accidents, among other issues.
The researchers said significant gains in public health could be achieved by addressing these conditions by subsidizing the cost of essential medicines, diagnostics and vaccines.
The report also calls for increasing taxes on tobacco products, unhealthy foods and beverages, and fossil fuels. The researchers said this would reduce disease and death caused by these products and increase revenue that could be reinvested in health systems.
–IANS
MKS/AS
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