TAJIKISTAN – A 10-day campaign to provide vitamins to children began in Tajikistan on June 10. Deputy Healthcare Minister Azam Mirzoyev said the campaign is designed to prevent vitamin deficiency in children and mothers after birth. Local doctors and UNICEF employees will provide Vitamin A to women and children under the age of six. Head of the UNICEF office in Tajikistan Khongwei Gao said 52 percent of Tajik children suffer from vitamin deficiency and 27 percent suffer from malnutrition. About seven percent of the children have a severe form of hypotrophy, which weakens their immune systems.
According to the head of the department for aid to mothers, children, and family planning at the Healthcare Ministry Sherali Rakhmatulloyev, a lack of vitamin A can make some childhood illnesses fatal. He said if vitamin A is used to boost immunity, infant and child mortality can be prevented in half of the cases.
About 1 million vitamin A pills have been provided free of charge to health clinics and kindergartens throughout the country.
The World Health Organisation has sponsored a campaign to fight helminthism in children age two to six. Efforts have been conducted in 37 regions affecting children in grades one through four so far this year. Another campaign will be conducted for children up to 14 years of age.
Under the UN Millennium Development Goals programme, reducing infant and child mortality and improving healthcare for mothers was discussed in Dushanbe in early June. Rights to healthcare and reproductive health were also discussed.
First Deputy Healthcare Minister Said Dzhobirov said infant and mother mortality in Tajikistan is very high. Official figures show the fatality rate for mothers was 40.9 per 100 newborns in 2008, compared with 33.2 per 100 in 2005. Dzhobirov said the official figures are not a true representation. She said improving the economy by reducing poverty and restructuring and modernising social programmes set the conditions for improving healthcare services and consequently the health of the population.
According to the head of the department for aid to mothers, children, and family planning at the Healthcare Ministry Sherali Rakhmatulloyev, a lack of vitamin A can make some childhood illnesses fatal. He said if vitamin A is used to boost immunity, infant and child mortality can be prevented in half of the cases.
About 1 million vitamin A pills have been provided free of charge to health clinics and kindergartens throughout the country.
The World Health Organisation has sponsored a campaign to fight helminthism in children age two to six. Efforts have been conducted in 37 regions affecting children in grades one through four so far this year. Another campaign will be conducted for children up to 14 years of age.
Under the UN Millennium Development Goals programme, reducing infant and child mortality and improving healthcare for mothers was discussed in Dushanbe in early June. Rights to healthcare and reproductive health were also discussed.
First Deputy Healthcare Minister Said Dzhobirov said infant and mother mortality in Tajikistan is very high. Official figures show the fatality rate for mothers was 40.9 per 100 newborns in 2008, compared with 33.2 per 100 in 2005. Dzhobirov said the official figures are not a true representation. She said improving the economy by reducing poverty and restructuring and modernising social programmes set the conditions for improving healthcare services and consequently the health of the population.
source: http://www.centralasiaonline.com
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