It is not too much to say that health is the greatest indicator of individual misfortune and inequality among people. It is from this understanding that chapter 8 of the ICPD Program of Action is devoted to "health, morbidity and deaths" to discuss health in depth.

The chapter is divided into four sections, namely 1) primary health care, 2) children's survival and health, 3) women's health and safe motherhood, and 4) HIV/AIDS. A wide range of health problems that human beings are faced with are examined to the full extent, including HIV/AIDS which is critically affecting the important age group of populations and, therefore, is a source of grave concern in the world today.

What should be noted is that it has set forth the goals for policy action regarding the survival and health of children. The Cairo Program of Action recommended that infant mortality be lowered to 50-70 per 1,000 live births by 2000. In the period of 1995-2000, the world has achieved this with 66.8 (in developing regions: World Population Prospects: The 2002 Revision). In Asia, infant mortality fell below 60 with 59.5. Only Africa is still above the goal with infant mortality at 97 per 1,000 live births.

Despite the thorough examination on current health issues, it is regrettable that little was considered concerning the health issues in the 21st century, centering most notably on changes in age structure due to lowering fertility and aging population that will cause the greatest world demographic change.

Further, from a policy point of view, it is impossible for governments, in particular, those of developing countries, to allocate budgets and implement programs in order to improve people's health status as recommended in the Program of Action. A specific policy to make an epoch-making improvement in infant mortality, for example, will directly contribute to halting the decrease in child population, to improving mothers' health and to promoting other social developments, including wider educational and employment opportunities for women, along with their higher social status.