Latest news with #UNHumanDevelopmentReport
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Health
- Business Standard
Child deaths down, vaccinations up-but India's health fight isn't over
India has made notable progress in achieving health targets under the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. From lowering maternal and child mortality to improving immunisation and disease control, key health indicators suggest that the country is on track in several areas. What the UN Human Development Report says about India's health progress According to the UNDP Human Development Report 2025, India's Human Development Index (HDI) has increased by over 53 per cent since 1990—outpacing both global and South Asian averages. This has been driven by robust economic growth and welfare schemes like the National Rural Health Mission and Ayushman Bharat. Life expectancy has climbed to 72 years in 2023, the highest since the index began. 'India's life expectancy reaching its highest level is a testament to the country's recovery from the pandemic and its investments in human development,' said Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP India. SDG 3 score rises sharply, says NITI Aayog India's SDG 3 score rose from 52 in 2018 to 77 in 2023, as per the NITI Aayog SDG Index. Multiple states are now classified as 'front-runners' in health outcomes: Maternal mortality dropped to 97 per 100,000 live births. Eight states, including Kerala and Tamil Nadu, have met the 2030 target of 70. Under-5 mortality fell to 32 per 1,000 live births. Kerala leads with just 8 deaths. Child immunisation (age 9–11 months) reached 93.23%, with several states surpassing 100%. HIV incidence remained at 0.05 per 1,000 uninfected individuals; Kerala reported 0.01. Tuberculosis case notification hit 87.13 per cent; Gujarat and UTs like Delhi surpassed national targets. Institutional deliveries stood at 97.18 per cent, with Lakshadweep achieving 100 per cent. Suicide rate was 12 per 100,000 population in 2022. Bihar had the lowest at 1. Malnutrition still affects children and women Despite gains, India still faces serious challenges: 35 per cent of children under five are stunted 19 per cent are wasted 67 per cent of under-five children and 57 per cent of women (15–49) are anaemic These figures from NFHS (2019–21) point to deep-rooted nutritional deficiencies that threaten long-term health outcomes. India's NCD burden rising fast Non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer accounted for over 60 per cent of all deaths in India in 2019, according to the NCD portal. Experts warn that without targeted prevention and early detection, the NCD crisis could derail SDG progress. What India must do to stay on track for 2030 To meet SDG 3 goals, experts recommend an integrated strategy that: Expands last-mile healthcare delivery Scales up NCD screening and treatment Closes the nutrition gap in children and women Invests in mental health and injury care Increases funding for primary healthcare As the 2030 deadline approaches, bridging rural–urban divides and ensuring healthcare equity will be crucial to India's success in achieving SDG 3.
Al Etihad
07-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
UAE tops Arab world in human development as global progress stalls
8 May 2025 00:16 ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)The UAE has emerged as the highest-ranked country in the Arab region and 15th globally in the latest UN Human Development Report, released on Tuesday. With a Human Development Index (HDI) score of 0.940, the country is positioned ahead of the United States, Canada, and 12 spots above Saudi Arabia - the next country from the region on the report, titled "A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI", comes at a time when global development has largely stalled. The UNDP said that progress remains sluggish following the shocks of 2020-2021, with 2024 projected to see one of the weakest gains in human development since records began in UAE, however, has moved in the opposite direction, climbing eight places since the last edition and continuing to log strong outcomes in health, education, and HDI score of 0.940 puts it in the top bracket of countries categorised as having "very high human development". The Arab regional average HDI stands at 0.719, well below the UAE's, with the country outperforming regional peers in life expectancy, expected years of schooling, and gross national income per inequality is factored in, the UAE's performance remains consistent, suggesting that inequality in income, education, and access to services doesn't appear to erode the overall level of development as severely as it does elsewhere in the region. The UAE's inequality-adjusted HDI shows only a 7.9% loss from its original score, much below the regional average loss of 24.3%.Gender is another area where the UAE stood out both regionally and internationally. It ranked 13th globally on the Gender Inequality Index, a composite measure tracking disparities in reproductive health, political empowerment, and workforce participation. The country recorded low maternal mortality and adolescent birth rates, a high female representation in parliament, and more women in secondary education than Gender Development Index (GDI), which compares the HDI values of men and women, confirms this trajectory. Among Arab countries, the UAE's GDI scores position it as a leader in terms of gender development and equality. Here, it falls into the second-highest development bracket, with a relatively narrow gap between male and female outcomes in life expectancy, education, and the traditional development areas, the report pointed to the nation's growing role in emerging sectors. According to the data cited by the UNDP, the UAE recorded the world's third-highest net AI skills migration rate in 2023, and it also leads the region in self-reported AI skills penetration on LinkedIn, close to the global average. While most large-scale AI models still originate from the US, China, and the UK, the report mentions only the UAE and Saudi Arabia among the few other countries contributing to this space.
