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Health in Benin

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Benin faces a number of population health challenges. Apart from modern medicine, traditional medicine plays a big role too.[1]

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative[2] finds that Benin is fulfilling 59.2% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to health based on its level of income.[3] When looking at the right to health with respect to children, Benin achieves 77.5% of what is expected based on its current income.[4] In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves 81.5% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income. [5] Benin falls into the "very bad" category when evaluating the right to reproductive health because the nation is fulfilling only 18.5% of what the nation is expected to achieve based on the resources (income) it has available.[6]


Water supply and sanitation

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According to the Joint Monitoring Program of the World Health Organization and UNICEF, three quarters of the Beninese population had access to an improved water source in 2008, whereas 12% had access to improved sanitation. The share rose from 63% concerning water and from 5% concerning sanitation in 1990. Coverage in urban areas is considerably higher than in rural areas.[7]

Access to Water and Sanitation in Benin (2008)[7]
Urban
(41% of the population)
Rural
(59% of the population)
Total
Water Improved water source 84% 69% 75%
Piped on premises 26% 2% 12%
Sanitation Improved sanitation 24% 4% 12%

Wastewater treatment is extremely rare in Benin. In most cases, wastewater is not disposed appropriately. According to a 2001 national health survey, in the cities of Cotonou, Parakou and Porto-Novo, two out of 1,000 households dispose their wastewater in a correct way, while most of them discharge it directly into the nature or drains. This leads to pollution and can cause water-borne diseases like malaria and typhoid fever.[8]

Health status

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Life expectancy

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The 2014 CIA estimated average life expectancy in Benin was 61.07 years.[9]

Infectious diseases

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On 16 March 2020, the first COVID-19 case in the country was confirmed in Porto-Novo.[10]

Maternal and child healthcare

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The 2011 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births for Benin is 410. This is compared with 468.9 in 2008 and 587.6 in 1990. The under 5 mortality rate, per 1,000 births is 121 and the neonatal mortality as a percentage of under 5's mortality is 27. In Benin the number of midwives per 1,000 live births is 4 and the lifetime risk of death for pregnant women is 1 in 43.[11]

According to a 2013 UNICEF report, 13% of women had undergone female genital mutilation.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Karim Okanla. "Science-based clinic or witch doctor?". D+C,development and cooperation. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  2. ^ "Human Rights Measurement Initiative – The first global initiative to track the human rights performance of countries". humanrightsmeasurement.org. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  3. ^ "Benin - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  4. ^ "Benin - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  5. ^ "Benin - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  6. ^ "Benin - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  7. ^ a b World Health Organization; UNICEF. "Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water. 2010 Update" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-24. Retrieved 2011-06-04.
    Based on:
    • Enquête démographique et de santé. 2003.
    • Enquête socio-anthropologique sur la fécondité et la mortalité infantile et maternelle. 2003.
    • Questionnaire des indicateurs de base du bien-être. 2003.
    • Recencement général de la population et des habitations. 2002.
    • Bénin (2001). Enquête Démographique et de Santé.
    • Bénin. Ministère du plan, de la restructuration economique et de la promotion de l'emploi. (1996). Demographic and Health Survey., p. 18
    • 1992 Census as recorded in Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000. Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Questionnaire. 1999.
  8. ^ Bénin (2001). Enquête Démographique et de Santé (in French)., cited in: "0,1% des ménages béninois accèdent aux équipements d'assainissement". Panapress. 2004-11-22. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  9. ^ "CIA - The World Factbook Life Expectancy". Cia.gov. Archived from the original on 2018-12-29. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  10. ^ "More African countries confirm first coronavirus cases as Jack Ma pledges aid". Reuters. 2020-03-22. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  11. ^ "The State Of The World's Midwifery". United Nations Population Fund. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  12. ^ UNICEF 2013 Archived 2015-04-05 at the Wayback Machine, p. 27.
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