World Health 

Today 120 countries the world over having a total population of five billion. The life expectancy at birth is more than 60 years, compared to 48 years in 1955. The life expectancy is expected to be 73 years in 2025,with advances in medicine.

WHO's Global Strategy for Health for All by the year 2000 set the following guiding targets.

*  Life Expectancy at birth                   : above sixty years

*  Infant Mortality Rate per 1000 birth   : below 50 per 1000

*  Mortality Rate for under five years     : below 70 per 1000

In 1997 about 3.8 billion people (64 percent of global population) living in 106 countries had achieved these targets. In 1995, 102 countries (60 percent of the global population) had reached all these values. Compare this to 1975 when only 1.2 billion (30 percent of global population) living in 69 countries had achieved this distinction.

The increase in life expectancy has been mainly due to better health facilities. Hospitals with modern equipment, research development undertaken by the Pharmaceutical Industry, advanced method of medical treatment, availability of more efficient doctors, surgeons and other medical and para-medical professionals have contributed to the increased life expectancy.

Though modern equipment and better medicinal facilities have contributed to increased life expectancy, the major reason is more efficient and dedicated professionals - doctors, surgeons, nurses and other medical and para-medical staff. Today when a patient is admitted to a hospital there is no gloom on his face fearing doom in the future because he knows the advances that medical science has made and the efficiency of the medical staff.

A patient normally seeks a reputed hospital. And a hospital or medical center is only as good as the staff it employs.