Wednesday April 16, 2008
Unicef praises M'sia for reducing child mortality rate
By ROYCE CHEAH
KUALA LUMPUR: Unicef has commended Malaysia for taking exemplary efforts to reduce the mortality rate for children under the age of five years, reducing it by two-thirds within 20 years.
Unicef's representative to Malaysia, Youssouf Oomar, said advances such as immunisation programmes and better conditions helped improve the situation from 22 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 12 per 1,000 in 2006.
"Where once children died of preventable diseases, today many more survive because of the improved conditions.
"Throughout Malaysia, these and other advances have reduced misery, stimulated economic growth, built a stronger society and enabled the country to modernise and engage with the global marketplace."
Youssouf was speaking at the launch of The State of the World's Children 2008 report, a record of what countries all over the world have done to ensure children survive.
With 12 deaths per 1,000 live births, Malaysia is placed within the top 60 countries out of the 196 surveyed, with the best value being three deaths per 1,000 live births and the worst being 270 deaths per 1,000 live births.
However, Youssouf cautioned that Malaysia could not be complacent and should work even harder to reduce the figure.
Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, when she launched the report said that promoting child survival was not only a task for parents but was a responsibility that had to be shared by educators, health officials, the community and the media.
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