Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island nation in the Windward chain of the Caribbean Sea, between Grenada and Saint Lucia. Total land area of the islands is 389 kms with Saint Vincent accounting for 344 kms; the other 45 kms is spread over 31 tiny islands and cays. Native Caribs resisted colonization on the island chain until 1719. The British won control by 1769 and held the island as a colony until 1979. It continues as a member of the Commonwealth Realm. Similar to nearby Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent's economy has been dominated by banana exports for decades, and is now attempting to diversify into tourism and offshore banking.

The population of the islands is estimated at just over 118,000, growing at a rate of 0.25 percent annually. Many Saint Vincentians choose to leave the islands in search of opportunities elsewhere, giving the nation a net migration rate of minus 7.58 per 1000. The birth rate is 16.02 births per 1,000 population, and the death rate 5.97 per 1,000 population. The median age is 27.4. Life expectancy at birth is 72.21 years for males and 76.04 years for females. About 60 percent of the population lives in urban areas.

The burden of communicable disease on the islands has shown a marked decrease over the past decade. Dengue fever and leptospirosis made a comeback in the mid-1990s, due in part to an increase in rodent infestation and improper disposal of human waste in some regions. Health officials have made significant inroads in controlling both these problems in recent years. Most Saint Vincentians now have access to safe drinking water and sanitary waste facilities.

Non-communicable diseases are the main cause of morbidity and mortality on the islands. There are no good figures on the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and other common ailments, but records from 1995 show that in a sample group of about 5,800 people registered with local health officials, 61.2 percent had hypertension, 21.8 percent had diabetes, and 17 percent had both. Cancer is another leading cause of death, primarily cancers of the digestive tract or peritoneum.

Health officials launched a serious effort to improve healthcare among children in the mid-1990s, including more and improved local clinics, educational programs for parents and caregivers, and immunization drives. Immunization rates are now near 100 percent. Rates of malnutrition have dropped. Infant mortality is 17 deaths per 1,000 live births, with under-five mortality at 20 deaths per 1,000 population.

Women's health has also improved in recent years. Cervical cancer screenings are available to all. At least 60 percent of women have access to birth control. Pregnant women are prompted to have six prenatal and three post-natal checkups, and over 80 percent attend all nine examinations. All women have trained attendants monitoring childbirth, and the maternal mortality rate is very low. The country reports 101 physicians and 276 nurses working on the islands in 2007. Per capita expenditures by the government on healthcare is estimated at $210 per person.