Health conditions in the Americas, 1965-1968

Abstract

[INTRODUCTION]: Beginning with the XIV Pan American Sanitary Conference in 1954 a four-year report on health conditions in the Americas has been prepared for each Conference. The present report for the XVIII Pan American Sanitary Conference covers the years 1965-1968. Sources of data for these reports have been the replies to joint annual questionnaires which the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization send to the countries for information on mortality, morbidity, vaccinations and resources of manpower and institutions. Also utilized are the questionnaires circulated by WHO at two and four-year periods to compile the Report on the World Health Situation. An answer to the questionnaire for the Fourth Report on the World Health Situation for the period 1965-1968 was received from every member country of the Americas. In addition, publications of the countries and other official reports from the countries to the Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization and the United Nations have served as basic documents for the present and previous reports. This report follows the plan of the previous report with chapters on population, vital statistics, communicable diseases, health services, hospitals, environmental health and health manpower. However, considerable more detail is now provided in reference tables at the end of each chapter. The use of electronic computers in processing and presenting data on vital statistics and communicable diseases has made possible greater depth and variety in analysis. Included in the chapter on population are the basic population figures used for calculating rates and ratios together with data on the urban-rural and socio-economic characteristics of the population of the Region. The role of health in the economic and social development of Latin America was clearly expressed in the Declaration of the Presidents of America signed by 19 American Chiefs of State at Punta del Este, Uruguay on April 14, 1967. The levels of both health itself and health resources and services are closely related to socio-economic conditions. Wherever appropriate, trends of health conditions are shown in relation to the goals of the Charter of Punta del Este…