Women Outlive Men in
Costa Rica
Life expectancy in Costa
Rica is 79.1 years
according to figures
released by the
Ministerio de Salud for
2007, where men are
expected to live 76.56
years and women 81.56
years.
The figures were
announced by the
ministra de Salud, María
Luisa Ávila Agüero at a
press conference
yesterday.
The health minister also
said that the infant
mortality rate has
dropped to 9.7 death per
1.000 births and the
country counts with 86.1
habitants for every
square kilometre.
The minister said that
she cannot be 100%
pleased with the results
as there are always
challenges to be faced
in matters of health.
The life expectancy
index is one of the best
in Latin America,
according to Avila, and
that is due to social
policies that allow
people to develop and
the investment of the
public funds in health
matters, tha in Costa
Rica amounts to 6% of
the Producto Interno
Bruto (Gross National
Product). The minister
added that although that
number is significative,
she would like to see it
at 8%.
Minister Avila also
expressed her concern
for the growth in teen
pregnancy which now is
at 20%, saying that the
country needs a sex
education policy that is
much clearer, less on
biology and more on
stimulating values and
understandings.
The minister also
expressed concern on the
increasing number of
deaths due to traffic
accidents, that
according to the health
ministry figures, is
higher that deaths due
to epidemics of malaria
and dengue combined over
the last 14 years.
Costa Rica provides
access to potable water
to 82.7% of the
population and sanitary
sewers to 93.4%.
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