Unicef in action
In 2004, within the new context of peace, the Government elaborated a five-year strategic plan aiming at reducing maternal and child mortality. Considering the limited capacity at national level, the Ministry of Health has prioritized 59 municipalities with a high population density (75% of total population live within these municipalities) and a minimum of existing capacity within the health sector to ensure implementation of activities addressing the reduction of maternal and child mortality. These municipalities are also the main focus of the UNICEF Integrated Health and Nutrition Programme. By 2008, UNICEF’s health and nutrition programme aims at contributing to the following goals: • Reduce by 50% the mortality rate among children under 5 years old;• Reduce by 30% the rate of malnutrition among children under 5 years old; • Reduce by 30% the rate of maternal mortality. The strategies pursued are: • Improving access to, and quality of, primary health care services, and more specifically access to the mother and child package defined in the National Strategic Plan for accelerated reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality; • Increasing community and local authority participation in the management and financing of community based health services; • Putting in place a functional referral system and improved quality of essential obstetric and paediatric services; • Establishing a reliable system of health information, monitoring and evaluation; • Ensuring regular, uninterrupted supply of vaccines, essential medicines, reagents and critical materials at national, provincial and local health facilities ; • Expanding preventive activities and coverage of the standardized and correct diagnosis and treatment of malaria and HIV/AIDS. Concretely, UNICEF is supporting the Government’s Strategic Plan by supporting the following areas: • Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI)• Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) and Malaria Control and Management • Nutrition and Child Health Days • Safe Motherhood • Strengthening of health system and Capacity Development
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