Brunei spends 2.1% of its GDP on health care, equivalent to $993 per capita. It has achieved universal maternal healthcare and high immunization rates. Non-communicable diseases cause 82% of deaths, with cardiovascular disease being the leading cause. Brunei is working towards achieving Millennium Development Goals for reducing child and maternal mortality, but will need to make changes to reduce the maternal mortality rate to meet targets. No recent reports have been released on Brunei's progress towards health-related development goals.

1. HEALTH SYSTEMS IN
BRUNEI
DARUSSALAM

2. Brunei’s public spending on health was 2.1
%of GDP in 2011, which is equivalent to
US$993 per capita. In the most recent survey,
conducted between 1997 and 2010, there
were 136 doctors, and 702 nurses and
midwives per 100,000 people. There is
universal maternal health care in the country
and in 2012, 99 per cent of one-year-olds
were immunised with one dose of measles

3. The most recent survey available,
conducted in 2010, reported that Brunei
had ten pharmaceutical personnel per
100,000 people.

4. CHILD AND MATERNAL HEALTH

5. The rate of infant mortality in Brunei
Darussalam was seven deaths out of
1,000 live births in 2012, with an under-
five mortality rate of eight deaths out
1,000 live births. As shown in there has
been a sustained decrease in Brunei’s
under-five mortality rate since 1990.

6. . In 2010 the three most prominent known
causes of death for children below the age of
five years were congenital anomalies (29%),
prematurity (25%) and injuries (11%). Other
contributory causes were neonatal sepsis
(4%) and pneumonia (5%). In 2010 Brunei
had a maternal mortality rate of 24 deaths
per 100,000 live births (estimate by UN
agencies/World Bank

7. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

8. Communicable diseases along with
maternal, perinatal and nutritional
conditions in Brunei accounted for an
estimated ten per cent of all mortality in
2008. A government paper on HIV/AIDS
reported that there were 49 people in the
country living with HIV at the end of 2011.

9. The country is free from malaria. Estimated
incidences of tuberculosis (TB) have seen a
very slight overall increase in the period 1990-
2012, peaking in 2000. Estimated mortality
(when mortality data excludes cases co-
morbid with HIV) from TB has remained the
same over this period. In 2009 there were two
reported cases of measles and in 2010 there
were three reported cases of leprosy

10. NON-COMMUNICABLE
DISEASES

11. on-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Brunei
accounted for an estimated 82 %majority of all
mortality in 2008. The most prevalent NCDs in
Brunei are cardiovascular diseases, which
accounted for 33 %of total deaths across all
age groups in 2008. Cancers, diabetes and
non-communicable variants of respiratory
diseases contributed 16 %11 %and 8%to total
mortality respectively (2008).

12. MENTAL HEALTH

13. The most commonly diagnosed mental
illnesses in Brunei Darussalam are
depression, personality disorder and
anxiety.

14. • Notably, reports state that cases of eating
disorders and suicide are rare. Psychiatric
disorders related to alcohol use are uncommon,
although not unheard of, due to prohibition.
According to the government, around 11,000
people were registered with the country’s Mental
Health Services in 2012. Neuropsychiatric
disorders contributed an estimated 18.9 % of the
global burden of disease in 2008.

15. CURRENT HEALTH ISSUES AND
PROGRESS

16. Brunei Darussalam is currently working
towards achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals. To achieve the targets for
the reduction of child mortality, which forms
Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4),
Brunei should reduce under-five deaths per
1,000 live births to four, and increase measles
immunisation to 100 % by 2015. In 2012
under-five mortality stood at 8 deaths per
1,000 live births and measles immunisation at

17. With continued good progress, the country is likely
to achieve MDG 4 by 2015.
The global MDG 5 target for maternal health is to
reduce the number of women who die in pregnancy
and childbirth by three quarters between 1990 and
2015. When applying this target to Brunei, the
maternal mortality rate should fall to seven cases
per 100,000 live births. In 2010 Brunei had 24
maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (an estimate
from UN agencies/World Bank),

18. indicating that changes must be made
if this target is to be achieved. Part of
the goal also stipulates that 100 % of
births must be attended by a skilled
health professional. In the period
2007-11 this figure stood at 100 %, so
this target has already been achieved
Estimated TB incidences and mortality

19. MDG 6 aims for a reduction in the
prevalence of HIV, malaria and other
diseases. Malaria has already been
eradicated in the country.

20. Estimated TB incidences and mortality (when
mortality data excludes cases co-morbid with
HIV) have remained roughly the same since
1990. There is insufficient data from
international agencies to confirm the
country’s progress on this goal for HIV/AIDS.
This suggests that significant improvements
are needed to target TB prevention and
enhance treatment if this goal is to be

21. The most recent MDG progress report for Brunei was
released in 2010. Since this time, no further reports
have been released by the government of Brunei or its
donors which indicate what measures are being taken
in the country to achieve these goals. In 2008 Brunei
announced plans to implement a new strategic
development plan, entitled Wawasan Brunei 2035
Beyond the Millennium Development Goals and High
Human Development; however, there is no specific
reference to health care development mentioned in the
plan.