Today, on 1 June, Turkmenistan celebrates the International Children’s Day.
In his congratulatory message to the people of Turkmenistan , President Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted: “The state attaches special importance to supporting the family and motherhood, stimulating the birth rate. The adoption of laws in the field of legal protection of the rights and interests of mothers and children, the provision of numerous social benefits, the establishment of medical centers for maternal and child health “Ene mähri” allow us to provide our children with a prosperous life and full development in the early period.
Our independent Motherland has joined a number of important United Nations documents designed to protect the rights of women, mothers and children. In this regard, together with the UN Children’s Fund, programs and plans are being implemented for the comprehensive development of the younger generation, improving family welfare, improving education and healthcare, and popularizing the principles of a healthy lifestyle. All this testifies to the strengthening of the position of our sovereign country on the world stage.”
***
More than 17,000 young children in Turkmenistan are included in the early development program, which has allowed for the timely diagnosis of children with developmental disabilities in order to prevent or reduce the severity of childhood disability, as well as timely care, said the Representative of UNICEF in Turkmenistan Mohammad Fayazi in an interview with the newspaper “Neutral Turkmenistan”.
For many years, UNICEF has worked with the Ministry of Health and the Medical Industry to improve access to basic health services.
Currently, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and WHO, UNICEF is working to improve the quality of services at the primary health care level by strengthening the system of home visits and expanding the scope of the Integrated Management of Childhood Diseases initiative.
UNICEF supports the Government of Turkmenistan in the implementation of the National Program of Healthy Nutrition of the Population of Turkmenistan for 2020-2025.
“We support conducting the National Micronutrient Survey among Women and Children to understand the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency (including iron deficiency anemia), vitamin A deficiency, folic acid deficiency and vitamin D deficiency in preschool children and women. In addition, UNICEF supports the implementation of nutrition programs for infants and young children and trains health workers in nutrition counseling,” Fayazi said.
The partnership between Turkmenistan and UNICEF in the field of immunization began back in 1994, when Turkmenistan signed an agreement to join the so-called Vaccine Independence Initiative.
Since 2006, the procurement of supplies and vaccines has been fully funded by the Government, and UNICEF provides procurement services. As a result of the joint efforts of the Government and UNICEF, almost all children in the country are protected from 14 vaccine-controlled diseases, and Turkmenistan has achieved the highest level of immunization in Central Asia. ///nCa, 1 June 2023
#UNICEF, #Turkmenistan, #International_Children’s_Day