His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah remarked about what the statement of the reverend Premiership included on its session held on yesterday Monday. The statement lauded the steady progress of the health care and the impressive stride in terms of the main health indicators which mirror the progress of the states in the medical field. To that effect, the health services in the Kingdom saw dramatic decline regarding the infant, neonates, and pre- five-year-old children mortality rates, as well as maternal mortality. It also highlighted the life expectancy increase in a manner that goes with the world rates, and according to the statistical yearbook 2013 of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Meanwhile, he extended his thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, HRH Heir-Apparent, and RHR the Second Deputy, May Allah protect them, for their ongoing support, their attention to the health services, and their steady interest in providing all the means of health care for the dear citizens. He further drew attention to the fact that this achievement, May Allah be praised, reflect the comprehensive developmental boom the Ministry of Health (MOH) witnesses in terms of its entire facilities and services. It also positively contributes to upgrading the health services delivered for the citizens in a way that fulfills the aspirations of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may Allah protect him, and addresses the citizens' health needs.
Within the same vein, the MOH announced that the mortality rates of the breast-fed in the Kingdom, in 2013, declined by eight cases per 1000 births compared to 22 death ones per 1000 ones in 2006. On the other hand, the pre-five-year-old children mortality rate lowered by nine cases per 1000 live births in comparison to 27 death cases per 1000 live onesin2006.
In its latest statistical report on the Kingdom's health care indicators, the MOH pointed out that the maternal mortality rates declined as well by 14 death cases per 100 thousand live births in 2013, compared to 23 death ones per 100 thousand live births in 2006. In accordance with the report, the neonatal mortality rate per 1000 live births lowered by only five death cases in 2013 compared to 12 death ones per 1000 live births in 2006. In that regard, the post-birth life expectancy increased to 75 years in 2013 compared to 71 ones in 2006.
In meantime, the Kingdom registered a tangible progress in terms of the health care indicators compared to the European and eastern Mediterranean states regions. As such, the Kingdom's infant mortality rate reached eight cases per 1000 live births in 2013. On the other hand, it amounted to 11 cases per 1000 live births in the European region and 44 ones per 1000 ones in the eastern Mediterranean states.
And the Kingdom's neonatal mortality rate went down by 5 cases in 2013 whereas the European Mediterranean region registered 6 ones per 1000 live births and 25 ones per live birth for the eastern Mediterranean states region in 2013.
As regards the pre-five-year-old mortality rate, in 2013, the Kingdom registered nine cases per 1000 live births. On the other hand, in 2013, the average mortality rate of the European region reached 13 cases per 1000 live births, as well as 58 ones per 1000 live ones as far as the eastern Mediterranean states are concerned.
As regards the maternal mortality rate, the Kingdom saw a remarkable improvement and it registered 14 cases per 1000 live births in 2013 in comparison to 20 ones per 1000 live births of the European region. And the life expectancy average at birth approximated. To that effect, the Kingdom registered 75 years in terms of the average age whereas the average age of the European region, in 2013, reached 76 years and 68 ones for the same year as regards the eastern Mediterranean states region.