United Nations Radio

UNICEF has welcomed the Angolan government's campaign to reduce the number of mothers who die while giving birth and infants who die before the age of five years.

women with their babies in Angola

It notes that since 2002 the mortality rate for children under five dropped from 250 to 195 per 1,000 live births, according to a government survey released this month.

UNICEF also notes that during the same period, the ratio of mothers who died while giving birth decreased from 1,400 to less than 700 per 100,000 live births.

However, UNICEF says that despite the report of significant improvement, the situation remains unacceptable, as it puts Angola on par with the least developed countries.

The agency points out that Angola's Gross Domestic Product per capita is that of a lower middle income country.

UNICEF says cost-effective solutions exist, such as improving access to effective obstetric interventions, promoting maternal practices that protect a child's health, and ensuring that clinics have essential medicines and supplies.

It also notes that the government of Angola has now launched a campaign to accelerate the reduction of maternal and infant mortality (CARMMA) adding that the UN system in Angola welcomes this initiative.

It encourages the Government to raise the government budget devoted to health from 6.4 to 15 per cent to ensure better health for children and women in Angola.

Dianne Penn, United Nations Radio.

(duration: 1'32")