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Child Poverty in Mozambique. A Situation and Trend ... - Unicef

Child Poverty in Mozambique. A Situation and Trend ... - Unicef

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The 2005 Nutrition Survey conducted among 6-59 month-old children <strong>in</strong> 54 drought<br />

affected districts <strong>in</strong>dicated a much higher prevalence than the 2003 DHS, with 37 per<br />

cent of children experienc<strong>in</strong>g diarrhoea <strong>in</strong> the two weeks preced<strong>in</strong>g the survey. As <strong>in</strong><br />

the DHS, the prevalence of diarrhoea was highest among children aged 6-11 months,<br />

at 53 per cent, dropp<strong>in</strong>g to 20 per cent amongst children aged 48-59 months <strong>in</strong> these<br />

highest food <strong>in</strong>security districts.<br />

The higher prevalence of diarrhoea found <strong>in</strong> these districts shows the correlation<br />

between drought <strong>and</strong> diarrhoea. <strong>Child</strong>ren liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> drought-affected areas are much<br />

more likely to experience water-related illnesses, such as diarrhoea, due to <strong>in</strong>creased<br />

reliance on unsafe water sources when regular water sources have dried up, as well<br />

as an <strong>in</strong>creased likelihood of malnutrition, which <strong>in</strong>creases susceptibility to diarrhoeal<br />

diseases. <strong>Child</strong>ren suffer<strong>in</strong>g from malnutrition (stunt<strong>in</strong>g) showed an <strong>in</strong>creased<br />

susceptibility to water-borne illnesses, with 51 per cent of children identified as be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

malnourished experienc<strong>in</strong>g diarrhoea <strong>in</strong> the two weeks prior to the survey, compared<br />

with 37 per cent of non-malnourished children.<br />

D. Vacc<strong>in</strong>e preventable diseases <strong>and</strong> immunisation<br />

The national Exp<strong>and</strong>ed Programme of Immunisation (EPI) for improv<strong>in</strong>g immunisation<br />

coverage among children aga<strong>in</strong>st vacc<strong>in</strong>e preventable diseases has made substantial<br />

progress <strong>in</strong> recent years. The proportion of one-year old children fully immunised<br />

aga<strong>in</strong>st the six ma<strong>in</strong> vacc<strong>in</strong>e preventable diseases (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus,<br />

polio, measles <strong>and</strong> TB) has <strong>in</strong>creased from 47 per cent <strong>in</strong> 1997 to 63 per cent <strong>in</strong><br />

2003. With the exception of Niassa prov<strong>in</strong>ce, all prov<strong>in</strong>ces show substantially higher<br />

coverage than <strong>in</strong> 1997. The overall improvement noted is attributed to the expansion<br />

of static <strong>and</strong> outreach services, a major <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> the availability of equipment,<br />

commodities <strong>and</strong> vacc<strong>in</strong>es, the strengthen<strong>in</strong>g of health staff capacity <strong>and</strong> case<br />

management, <strong>and</strong> social mobilisation. In terms of <strong>in</strong>dividual antigens, the highest<br />

coverage is BCG (87 per cent), followed by measles (77 per cent), DPT (72 per cent)<br />

<strong>and</strong> polio (70 per cent).<br />

Figure 3.11: Full immunisation coverage among 1-year old children: comparison<br />

between 1997 <strong>and</strong> 2003<br />

100<br />

%<br />

91 91<br />

93<br />

80<br />

82<br />

82<br />

72<br />

60<br />

40<br />

48<br />

45 47<br />

54 55<br />

48<br />

58<br />

47<br />

62<br />

50<br />

64<br />

63<br />

62<br />

34<br />

20<br />

23<br />

25<br />

0<br />

Zambezia Niassa Nampula Tete Cabo<br />

Delgado<br />

Manica Sofala Gaza Inhambane Maputo<br />

City<br />

Maputo<br />

1997 2003<br />

Source: DHS 2003<br />

90 CHILDHOOD POVERTY IN MOZAMBIQUE: A SITUATION AND TRENDS ANALYSIS

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