WHO report notes increase in UAE residents’ life expectancy

A report from the World Health Organisation indicates the UAE has consistently reduced rates of maternal deaths with just six cases in 100,000 live births this year, down from eight in 2013.

ABU DHABI // Advances in health care in the UAE mean life expectancy is increasing and fewer women are dying during or after pregnancy, acording to a report by the World Health Organisation.

The Emirates has been successful in consistently reducing rates of maternal deaths, with just six cases in 100,000 live births last year, down from eight in 2013, 11 in 2000 and 16 in 100,000 live births in 1990, according to the World Health Statistics 2016 report, released yesterday.

Maternal death is when a woman dies while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy.

Dr Hiam Ahmed Harfoush, specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology at Burjeel Hospital, said improvements in care during and after pregnancy were key factors in the decrease.

“Antenatal care and care during and after pregnancy are all helping to reduce maternal deaths. The improvement in technology has also been a factor,” she said.

“If there is a multidisciplinary team working on a case, we are equipped to handle different complications, which is a factor in saving women’s lives.”

Dr Harfoush said the fact proper guidelines and protocols were followed in hospitals had also contributed to the drop in maternal death rates, adding that women were also more educated about the importance of looking after their health.

“If they get proper advice from the doctor, they can take care of themselves,” Dr Harfoush said, adding that more facilities also meant people could get access to skilled help faster.

Dr Iman Al-Omar, consultant and head of gynaecology and obstetrics at NMC Royal Hospital, said the development of the UAE’s health care has been rapid.

“Technology has improved, there is easy access to health service, evidence-based medicine is being used, doctors are undergoing ongoing medical education. All of these have helped to drastically improve pregnancy outcomes. There is also increased patient awareness.”

Dr Al Omar said that now there were more patients coming for pre-pregnancy counselling, ­allowing doctors to detect problems earlier.

The WHO report also found that the average life expectancy for men and women in the UAE was 77.1 years, the second highest in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region.

People in Qatar have a life expectancy of 78.2 years. In 1990 life expectancy was 71 years for men and 73 for women.

The UAE may have the second-highest life expectancy in the region, but Switzerland has the highest in the world for men, at 81.3, while Japan has the highest among women at 86.8 years. When asked about the factors leading to increased life expectancy, Dr Haroush said lifestyle was the most ­important.

“There are so many government programmes to live healthy and these play a big role. People are being encouraged not to smoke. There are gyms opening up and healthy eating is being given importance,” she said.

According to the doctor, the rise of preventive medicine was also a factor in helping to ­extend life expectancy.

The world over, life expectancy increased by five years between 2000 and last year, the fastest increase since the 1960s. Those gains reverse declines during the 1990s, when life expectancy fell in Africa because of the Aids epidemic and in Eastern Europe after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The increase was greatest in the African region where life expectancy increased by 9.4 years to 60 years, driven mainly by improvements in child survival, progress in ­malaria control and expanded access to anti-retrovirals for the treatment of HIV.

“The world has made great strides in reducing the needless suffering and premature deaths that arise from preventable and treatable diseases,” said Dr Margaret Chan, director-general of WHO. “But the gains have been uneven. Supporting countries to move towards universal health coverage based on strong primary care is the best thing we can do to make sure no one is left behind.”