Mind the gap: equity and trends in coverage of maternal, newborn, and child health services in 54 Countdown countries
Abstract
Increasing the coverage of key maternal, newborn, and child health interventions is essential if Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 4 and 5 are to be reached. We have assessed equity and trends in coverage rates of a key set of interventions through a summary index, to provide overall insight into past performance and progress perspectives. Data from household surveys from 54 countries in the Countdown to 2015 for Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival initiative during 1990-2006 were used to compute an aggregate coverage index based on four intervention areas: family planning, maternal and newborn care, immunisation, and treatment of sick children. The four areas were given equal weight in the computation of the index. Standard measures were applied to assess current levels and trends in the coverage gap measure by wealth quintile. The overall size of the coverage gap ranged from less than 20% in Tajikistan and Peru to over 70% in Ethiopia and Chad, with a mean of 43% for the most recent surveys in the 54 countries. Large intracountry differences were noted, with a country mean coverage gap of 54% for the poorest quintiles of the population and 29% for the wealthiest. Differences between the poorest and the wealthiest were large...Continue Reading
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