Children's
Health,
Children's
Rights:
Action
for the
21st
Century

Discussions and more discussions.

lthough globally both countries are somewhat behind the pack, the US just narrowly beat Russia in the race to be the first of the two to have at least one baby-friendly hospital assessed and properly designated. 

On 16 October, 1996, the first US hospital, Evergreen Hospital in Seattle, Washington was designated. Six days later, on 20 October, Elektrostal Hospital near Moscow received the plaque. It must be noted that the Russians, in order to have UN officials present, postponed their awards ceremony for several months. 

The US may not have practiced such deference to the UN. So perhaps one might declare the ôraceö rather even, and instead of looking at this in terms of competion, instead encourage both of these large countries to follow the example of smaller nations by racing to see that a more substantial number of hospitals become friendly to their future citizens.