In Thailand, a 13 percent drop in infant mortality in a year

The infant mortality rate declined sharply, among the poor, due to policy changes in Thailand's medical system. It decreased by 13% in about one year.

As one of the most ambitious medical reforms in the history of developing countries, Thailand's medical reform of 30 baht in 2001 increased funds available to take care of the poor and increased the number of local inhabitants We offered about $ 35 to local hospitals based on. Per capita healthcare reform. Importantly, it also reduces the out-of-pod per visit to approximately 75 cents (or 30 bahts)

Prior to this, less than a third of the population of Thailand participated in the Medical Welfare Program (MWS), which theoretically provides free services to the poor and is a medical plan with high medical expenses . The other half are thought to be too wealthy for the program, but their income is not enough to receive other insurance. MWS changed to 30 Baht plan

In order to investigate the effect of 30 baht on medical use, the scientific team of Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology analyzed the data of the Thai health welfare survey conducted from 2001 to 2005. They also came to a conclusion from the regional statistics compiled by the death certificate registry provided by Thai Ministry of Public Health between 1997 and 2008. They found it:

Before 30 baht, the infant mortality rate in the poor areas was significantly higher than in the rich areas. After 30 baht, the difference is zero

The 13% decrease in one year seems to be mainly due to a decrease in infant mortality in rural areas, people may not have been to a hospital. The team said the visibility of the program will help people understand that they have access to the hospital.

Through research, the 30 Baht plan reduced the infant mortality rate in Thailand by about 2/1. Previously, the proportion of the national population was about 15 out of 1,000 newborns.

Nasaniel Hendren of Harvard University said at a press conference that: "You will see it within a year."

The sudden "equalization" of infant mortality observed between 2000 and 2002 is due to the fact that diseases in which the most common cause of infant mortality in the world can be treated, dehydration (related to diarrhea), pneumonia and It is consistent with the fact that it comes from infection. "This is a very drastic change," Robert Townsend of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology adds.

The infant mortality rate in the United States in 1900 was 165 people per 1,000 live births. (According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in some cities up to 30% of babies will die by the first birthday.) In the coming decades, this number will fall to one digit. Between 1997, it decreased by 90%. And only 7 out of 1,000 births - to improve living environment. These are not only advances in medicine, but also help with the development of central heating and clean drinking water.

The results of global health insurance in Thailand are the result of a significant decline in mortality (especially infant and child mortality, infant mortality rate as low as 11 per 1,000 people), and now poor countries over 74 years average lifespan It is a significant increase of. Main results The historical disparity of the infant mortality rate between Thai poor and HNWIs is also decreasing sharply; therefore, in Thailand's low-income and high-income regions, in Thailand Infant mortality rate is low.

The accuracy of perinatal and infant mortality rates in most developing countries is questionable. Perinatal and infant mortality rates in rural Thailand were measured and compared with official statistics to assess accuracy. All births and infant deaths in a year in Thai rural areas were investigated. Corresponding official statistics were also collected. We interviewed relatives of all mothers or stillbirths and infant deaths due to stillbirth registration or infant death. The perinatal period and infant mortality rate studied were 22.0 and 23.1, respectively. The stillbirth registration rate is less than 100%, the infant mortality rate is 45%. All unregistered infant deaths are the deaths of infants prior to birth registration. These results document the extent and nature of underdelivery of perinatal and infant mortality rates in rural areas in Thailand.