Non-governmental organization Save the Children has released a new index ranking the best and worst countries for a child to fall sick in.
Of the 161 nations listed in the Health Worker Index Report (pdf), Qatar ranked number 20, the highest of any Gulf or Arab country. Switzerland and Finland topped the list, offering the best child healthcare, while Somalia and Chad scored thelowest.
Explaining what the index measures, Save the Children says:
The index measures not only how many health workers there are but also their reach and impact. It factors in the proportion of children who receive regular vaccinations and mothers who have access to life-saving emergency care at birth.
In developed countries, almost all children and mothers are reached with these basic services.
The report is meant to highlight a global shortage of over 3.5 million doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers in under-developed countries, as well as the risk children face in countries lower on the list.
Browse the full report here:
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Credit: Photo by Colin Crowley/Save the Children