U.S. $ 1.3 Million to Fight Infant Mortality. (Concord Times)
In support of the Sierra Leonean government’s effort to reduce child and maternal mortality in the country, the Japanese government has given a grant of $1.3 million for the prevention and control of infectious diseases. The Japanese ambassador H.E Ambassador Keiichi Katakami made the presentation of the grant. Sierra Leone is interested in lifting itself from the bottom of the Human Development Index; the grant therefore will help improve infant and maternal mortality in a bid to realizing the dream.
The country is running a program which will see the reduction of infant and maternal mortality by one third by the end of 2010. Health personnel, the community and families are expected to help in achieving this goal. The treatment of Malaria, HIV/AIDS, acute respiratory infection and diarrhea will be the focal point of the program. Immunization and maternal and child nutrition will also be dealt with. Japan has over the years donated more than twenty million dollars to child survival and education in Sierra Leone.