UNICEF Expresses Worry over Mortality Rate
From Chinedu Eze in Abakaliki
United Nations Interna-tional Children Education Fund (UNI-CEF) has said that Nigeria records infant mortality of 187 per 1000 live births and that mortality of children under five years was still as high as 112 per 1000 live births.
In addition, the international body also stated that maternal mortality ratio was 704 per 100,000 live births, noting that these indices were about over ten times the rates observed in developed countries and even worse than the average for Sub-Saharan African.
These grim facts were disclosed by UNICEF Assistant Country Representative, Mr. George Cooke during the mid term review of UNICEF Country Programme of Cooperation, 2002-2007 in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Capital on Thursday.
Mr. Cooke who was represented by Mr. Saaond Anom disclosed that only 24 per cent of infants in Nigeria were fully immunized, while primary school enrolment rate stood at 84 per cent for males, 77 per cent for females, with only 34 per cent of primary school children reaching primary five and noted that access to safe water supply in the country was 57 per cent and sanitation level was only as high as 30 per cent.
The Assistant Country Representative said that these sobering facts prompted Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN)/UNICEF to develop the 2002-2007 programmes of cooperation with the overall goals of promoting the recognition and realization of all the rights of Nigerian Children and Women, enhancing the capacity and commitment of Government and Civil Society, to ensure that Nigerian children have the best possible prospects for survival, growth, development, protection and participation.
Cooke said that the government of Ebonyi State under the "focused leadership of Dr. Sam. Ominyi Egwu" has in the context of the present framework contributed greatly to improving the realisation of the rights of children and women through the payment of counterpart funds to UNICEF assisted programmes in the state and through �such laudable government policies as free , compulsory basic education scheme� and free primary healthcare for women.
He also commended the state government for providing water, sanitation and rights of women through the procurement of drilling rig for the Ebonyi Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (EBRUWASA), establishment of Women Law Centre, which have impacted positively on the lives of the women and children of Ebonyi State.
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