RAMALLAH, April 6, 2011 (WAFA) - Infant mortality rate reached 20.6 per 1000 live births in the Palestinian Territory in 2010 compared to 25.5 death per 1000 births in 2000, Wednesday said the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)
It said on the eve of the World Health Day that infant mortality rate has declined by 19.2% since 2000.
Regarding under-5 mortality, the rate was 25.1 per 1000 live births in the Palestinian Territory. The rate has declined by 13% as it was 28.7 in 2000.
The fertility rate in the Palestinian Territory reached 4.2 births per woman. The rate has declined by 28.8% during the past 10 years when it was 5.9 births per woman in the year 2000.
According to 2010 data, the number of operating hospitals in the Palestinian Territory was 76 hospitals. On the other hand, the number of hospital beds per 1000 inhabitant in the Palestinian Territory reached 1.26. The number of primary health care centers amounted to 665 centers in the beginning of 2010; 62.0% were run by the ministry of health, 30.0% by NGOs, and 8.0% by UNRWA.
The PCBS said 18.2% of people aged 18 years and above are suffering from at least one chronic disease compared to 11.5% in 2000, thus marking an increase by 58.2% since then.
In addition, 16.3% of males aged 18 years and above reported suffering from at least one chronic disease compared to 20.2% of females.
On the other hand, 2.8% of youth 15-29 years in the Palestinian Territory suffer from at least one chronic disease; 70.6% of the elderly aged 60 years and over in the Palestinian Territory suffer from at least one chronic disease. The percentage of elderly with at least one chronic disease has increased by 51.8% since the year 2000 when it was reported at 46.5%.
The PCBS said that 21.8% of people 18 years and above in the Palestinian Territory are reported as smokers. The percentage of smokers among persons 18 years and above was 27.5% in the year 2000 and has declined by 21.0% during the last 10 years.
At total of 26.7% of pregnant women aged 15-49 years in the Palestinian Territory suffer from anemia compared to 31.1% in the year 2002. On the other hand, 21.6% of non-pregnant women aged 15-49 years in the Palestinian Territory suffer from anemia compared to 34.8% in the year 2002.
The PCBS said that 52.5% of married women 15-49 years in the Palestinian Territory currently use family planning method. The use of family planning method has increased by 2.1% during the past 10 years when it was 51.4% in the year 2000.
A total of 0.6% of deliveries in the Palestinian Territory occurred at home or in other unsafe places. The percentage of reported unsafe deliveries was 5.2 in the year 2000 and thus declined by 88.4% since then.
In addition, 16.7% of reported deliveries in the Palestinian Territory were cesarean. The number of cesarean deliveries has increased by about 90% during the last 10 years as it was reported at 8.8% in year the 2000.
A fifth of children 6-59 months have anemia with 19.4% of children aged 6-59 months in the Palestinian Territory suffer from anemia. The percentage was 38.0% in the year 2002.
A total of 95.8% of children in the Palestinian Territory were reported as normally breastfed; while 26.2% of children aged 0-5 months in the Palestinian Territory have exclusive breastfeeding. The percentage has increased by about 57.0% since the year 2000 when it was reported at 16.7%.
The PCBS said 10.6% of under-5 children in the Palestinian Territory are stunted. Stunting has increased by 41.3% since 2000 when it was reported 7.5%.
M.A.
