CRC/C/ARM/CO/3-4
(d)
Continue its efforts to include children with disabilities in the
mainstream education system, and in doing so, pay particular attention to children
with disabilities in care institutions and rural areas;
(e)
Take immediate measures to ensure that service providers do not take
fees for services that are free of charge and establish regular control of the quality of
services and products provided.
Health and health services
37.
The Committee welcomes the Obstetric Care State Certificate Programme of 2008
and the Child Certificate programme introduced in 2011 aimed at improving maternal and
child health. It also welcomes the 2011 National Concept and Action Plan for Enrichment
of Wheat Flour and National Strategy on Food Security with an action plan for 2010 - 2015.
Nevertheless, the Committee remains concerned that:
(a)
Significant disparities between urban and rural areas in access to health-care
services exist as some services such as intensive neonatal health care are available only in
the capital;
(b)
Despite the achievements in reducing the infant mortality, the neonatal and
perinatal mortality rates remain high due to insufficient equipment in neonatal departments
and inadequate training of staff.
(c)
Informal (under the table) payments are common especially in hospital
settings, which creates obstacles in accessing free medical care;
(d)
There is a lack of qualified medical personnel who are experienced in the
provision of Maternal and Child Health services both in terms of preventive health and
outreach care as well as those needed to provide curative care in hospitals;
(e)
Despite the significant achievements in the area of nutrition, the problems of
malnutrition among women and children still prevail especially in rural areas, and a high
level of obesity is noted among children under 5 years of age.
38.
The Committee urges the State party to:
(a)
Ensure equal access to all health-care services, in particular, provide
equitable access to health care during pregnancy, at the delivery, including access to
Emergency Obstetric Care and care for the newborn during the neonatal period, and
adequate resources to provide emergency services and resuscitations in rural areas;
(b)
Provide health institutions with adequate supplies and equipment,
especially in neonatal departments as well as training of staff;
(c)
Eliminate all informal fees for health-care services that are free of
charge, and set up a confidential system for reporting and action in case of noncompliance;
(d)
Take measures to ensure that all health-care personnel responsible for
health care for children are well qualified and well trained;
(e)
Continue the implementation of its action plans and strategies aimed at
improving the nutritional status of pregnant women, infants, pre-school children and
adolescents, especially in rural areas. This includes promoting healthy eating habits
and refraining from overconsumption of sugary drinks and “junk food” which is
contributing to a growing problem of obesity in children.
In doing so, seek financial and technical assistance from, inter alia, UNICEF and the
World Health Organization (WHO), for implementing the above recommendations.
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