UNreportwarnspovertygoalslikelytobemissed

TheinfantdeathrateforAfricanAmericansinWashingtonDCishigherthanthatinthecitiesoftheIndianstateofKerala，theUnitedNationshaswarnedaspartofadamningreviewofpovertyandinequalityaroundtheworld。

Publishedaheadofnextweek‘ssummitinNewYorktoreviewprogressinmeetinggoalstohalveextremepovertyby2015，theUN‘shumandevelopmentreportsays：UShealthindicatorsarefarbelowthosethatmightbeexpectedonthebasisofnationalwealth。

Thereport，publishedbytheUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme，saystheoutcomeisduepartlytopersistentandextremedisparitiesbetweenpeoplefromdifferentsocialandethnicgroups，asshownbyrecentimagesofpoorblackpeoplestrandedinNewOrleansbyHurricaneKatrina。

ThefindingsreflectanewfocusbytheUNupondifferenceswithincountriesaswellasbetweencountries，aspolicymakerstrytothinkofnewwaystoachievethemillenniumdevelopmentgoals，agreedin2000。

IndiaandChina，whichhavebothenjoyedsustainedeconomicgrowth，faceworryingchallenges。Thereareworryingindicationsthatsocialprogressisstartingtolagbehindeconomicperformance，withtheslowdownintherateofreductioninchilddeathsaspecialconcern。

TheUNnotesthatChinaspends5percentofitsGDPonhealth，butpublicspendingnowamountstolessthan2percentofGDP。

Theerosionofpublicfunding，itsays，hasresultedinamismatchbetweenneedandprovision，withpercapitaspendinginurbanareas3。5timesthatinruralareas。

Between70and80percentoftheruralpopulationhavenohealthinsurance。ChildrenlivinginthepoorestpartsofruralChinafacefargreaterhealthrisks，andthegapiswidening。Themortalityrateforunder－five－year－oldsrangesfrom8per1，000inBeijing，to60inthepoorestpartsofGuizhou。