Brazil Reduces Infant Mortality to 24 Deaths per 1000

Brazil has achieved the 2007 year-end infant mortality target of 25 deaths per 1000 live births a year ahead of schedule. The figure currently stands at 24 deaths per 1000.

This information was presented by the coordinator of the steering committee of the Presidential Friend of Children Plan, Amarildo Baesso, who reported last Thursday, June 8, on the Plan’s activities in 2005.

According to Baesso, there was also progress in education, despite the many challenges that remain to be met. "97% of school-age children attend school; nevertheless, we face problems related to the quality of education," he remarked.

Baesso observed that, in addition to providing an accounting, the report offers a means of discussing new government policies. "We are developing family and community relationship projects that involve adoption and shelters for children and adolescents. That is because there are policy gaps in this area," he affirmed.

The Presidential Friend of Children Plan began in 2003 in response to a societal demand for ways to improve the living conditions of Brazilian children and adolescents. This is the third report on the Plan’s activities.

Vaccination

Using the slogan "Your Child Wants Two Small Drops of Your Attention," the Ministry of Health, on Saturday, June 10, carried out the first phase of the National Vaccination Campaign against Child Paralysis.

The government’s goal is to inoculate more than 17 million children between the ages of 0 and 5. To attain this coverage, 340 thousand health professionals and volunteers were assigned to work in 117 thousand vaccination posts scattered throughout the country.

The target is for each state to achieve a minimum of 95% vaccination coverage in at least 80% of the municipalities.

The ministry bought 26.6 million doses of vaccine altogether. A second stage of the campaign is scheduled for August 26.

Agência Brasil

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil Trade Surplus Reaches US$ 1.6 Billion in 14 Days This Year

Brazil's exports increased 6.96% last week compared with the week before, closing at US$ ...

The Fertilizer for Food Sweet Deal Between Brazilians and Arabs

Brazil currently imports 70% of the fertilizers it consumes, especially potassium (90%), phosphates and ...

Rio’s Christ the Redeemer, One of the Modern World’s 7 Wonders, Is 80

On October 12, the same day Brazilian Catholics honored their patron saint, Nossa Senhora ...

Bikini Made in Brazil with an Eye Overseas

Brazilian Sur Beach Wear's bikinis and bathing suits have only just arrived in Brazil's ...

New Pictures in Brazilian Jungle Show Tribe of Uncontacted Indians

The movement for tribal peoples Survival International has been divulging pictures taken by Brazil’s ...

Gil, Brazilian Composer and Minister, Gets Creation Prize in Spain

Brazil’s Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil – as both singer and composer – is ...

Brazil Meddles in Honduras and Dares World to Put Money Where Mouth Is

Snooker is the only word. Actually, it’s a double snooker. Brazil has applied the ...

World Unions Search in Brazil for Fair Globalization

At the closing of a  4-day event at the World Social Forum, in Brazil, ...

At France’s G20 Brazil Demands a Greater Role for Emerging Countries

Led by Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, the Latin American block arrived at the G20 ...

Airbus Washes Hands of Brazil’s Deadliest Air Crash

The Airbus that crashed in São Paulo, Brazil, last month, killing 199 people showed ...