New Delhi, Oct 15
Childhood immunisations and low-cost prevention and treatments combined with new health technologies may help reduce premature deaths by 50 per cent, according to a new study published by The Lancet Commission on Tuesday.
The report laid out a roadmap for every nation that chooses to do so to cut the chance of premature death for its citizens in half by 2050.
“The goal of “50 by 50,” is achievable”, argues the report. If every country achieves the goal, then, a person born in 2050 would have only a 15 percent chance of dying before age 70, down from 31 per cent for someone born in 2019.
It suggested measures such as “expanding childhood immunisations and low-cost prevention and treatments for common causes of preventable death, combined with scaling up financing to develop new health technologies”.
Since 1970, about 37 countries have cut the probability of their citizens dying before they reach age 70 in half -- a milestone that signals the remarkable progress many countries have made in preventing and treating disease.
“Today, the case is better than ever for mortality reduction,” said Gavin Yamey, director of the Duke University Center for Policy Impact in Global Health (CPIGH), who led the writing of the commission report.
“It’s a prize within reach. It will have extraordinary health, welfare, and economic benefits. Reaching ‘50 by 50’ would reduce mortality and morbidity, help grow economies, and alleviate poverty,” Yamey added.