Cuba’s success in child health: what can one learn?

摘要

Cuba has excellent child health as illustrated by its low child mortality rates. Child mortality rates (under 5 years, infant and neonatal) in Cuba have all been lower than in the USA for many years. WHO figures for 2016 for under 5 child mortality (U5M) show that Cuba has a U5M rate of 5.5 per 1000 live births, whereas the USA has a U5M rate of 6.5 and Costa Rica has a rate of 9.7. Cuba has the second-lowest U5M in the Americas behind Canada with a rate of 4.9. U5M is considered to be an excellent indicator of child health by UNICEF. Cuba is a middle-income country with considerable economic problems exacerbated by the blockade imposed by the USA. How then has it achieved such good child health outcomes?