Health in Vanuatu

Life expectancy in Vanuatu is 67 years for men, and 70 years for women.

Vanuatu has a tropical climate and over 80% of the population lives in rural, isolated villages with access to their own gardens and food supplies. Malaria is a big problem.

Official statistics show infant mortality declined during the last half of the twentieth century, from 123 deaths per 1,000 population in 1967 to 25 per 1,000 in 1999.[1] There were 46.85 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2011.[2]

Healthcare

Health expenditure per capita is about $139 per year, under a quarter of the Western Pacific regional average, 4.2% of GDP. There is a very severe shortage of qualified health care professionals. Graduates from the Vanuatu Centre for Nursing Education are outnumbered by those retiring.[3]

Transport

The geographically-isolated communities have minimal access to basic health and education services. Churches and non-government organisations provide a minimal level of support to many rural villages. Vanuatu government health and education services are hard pressed to deal with the rapid increase of urban and peri-urban populations in informal and squatter settlements around Port Vila and to a lesser extent in Luganville.[4] Health services in Port Vila and Luganville provide reasonable health care, often supported and enhanced by visiting doctors.[5] A scheme, backed by UNICEF in October 2018 for two commercial drone companies to deliver vaccines to 39 remote villages has aroused considerable interest. The drones can fly up to 100 km and carry 2.5 kg and they could be used to deliver medication or to collect samples for analysis much more cost-effectively than conventional methods. [6] In December 2018 the first babies were vaccinated using medication transported by a drone, supplied by Swoop Aero. The vaccines, for 13 babies and 5 pregnant women, were carried in a styrofoam box with ice packs and a temperature logger in a 25-minute journey across the island of Erromango from Dillon's Bay on the west to Cook's Bay on the east.[7]

Hospitals

There are five public hospitals, and one private hospital with 27 health centres located across the islands and more than 200 aid posts in more remote areas. The two major referral hospitals are located in Port Vila and Luganville.[8]

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References
  1. "Population Statistics – Vanuatu Population Summary – Vital Statistics 1967–1999". Vanuatu Statistics Office. 1999. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  2. "Vanuatu". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  3. "Vanuatu Health Insurance". Pacific Prime. 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  4. Asian Development Bank. Vanuatu economic report 2009: accelerating reform. Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Asian Development Bank, 2009.
  5. Harris 2006.
  6. "Drones to deliver vaccines in Vanuatu in world-first trial". Guardian. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  7. "Vanuatu uses drones to deliver vaccines to remote island". BBC. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  8. "Health systems in Vanuatu". Commonwealth Health Online. 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
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