Comparison of healthy life expectancy and mortality of residents in West African countries between 2009 and 2019 and its implications for China-Africa health cooperation

Objective: To compare the healthy life expectancy (HALE), and mortality of residents in West African countries between 2009 and 2019, and to provide evidence support for subsequent planning, layout of a new era of China-African health cooperation and the implementation of precise assistance projects. Methods: Based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019), this study collected and compared changes in HALE and mortality due to infectious diseases, maternal and neonatal diseases, nutritional deficiencies, chronic diseases, and injuries in 15 West African countries between 2009 and 2019. Results: Compared with 2009, the HALE in the 15 West African countries increased in 2019, with Cape Verde having the highest HALE (64.6 years) and Guinea-Bissau the lowest (53.6 years). In 2019, the standardized mortality rates for infectious diseases, maternal and neonatal diseases, and nutritional deficiencies in the 15 West African countries significantly decreased compared with 2009; the standardized mortality rates for chronic diseases increased in Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, and The Gambia; the injury standardized mortality rates increased in Burkina Faso and Mali, while remaining unchanged in Niger; the standardized mortality rates for chronic diseases and injuries decreased in other countries. Compared with 2009, the proportion of deaths due to infectious diseases, maternal and neonatal diseases, and nutritional deficiencies in West African countries decreased in 2019 but still exceeded 50% in most countries; among them, Cape Verde was the only country where the proportion of deaths from chronic diseases was higher than that from infectious diseases, maternal and neonatal diseases, and nutritional deficiencies (72.2% vs. 17.9%). In 2019, the rank order of deaths due to maternal diseases, measles, and AIDS and other infectious diseases decreased significantly compared with 2009, while the rank order of deaths due to various chronic diseases (such as diabetes, chronic kidney diseases) increased. Conclusion: In the past decade, West African countries have made some progress in the health status of their citizens, but HALE remains relatively low, facing a dual threat of infectious and chronic non-communicable diseases, and the mortality rate from injuries remains high. China’s health assistance to these countries should be customized and implemented according to the specific needs of each recipient country.