CRC/C/COD/CO/3-5
(b)
Ensure throughout the country, including in remote areas, a sufficient
number of health centres and hospitals that have adequate human, technical and
financial resources;
(c)
Conduct regular training sessions for all health workers;
(d)
Address malnutrition, particularly in rural areas, including through
preventive measures such as awareness-raising campaigns and poverty alleviation and
by promoting exclusive breastfeeding;
(e)
Strengthen its efforts to improve immunization rates, particularly
through the proper functioning of the cold chain and through increased and better
dissemination of information on vaccination campaigns;
(f)
Seek financial and technical assistance from the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization, among others, in this
regard.
Adolescent health
36.
The Committee recommends that the State party take immediate measures to
prevent early pregnancy, which carries a major risk for the survival, health and
development of girls. In this regard, and in the light of general comment No. 4 (2003)
on adolescent health and development in the context of the Convention, the
Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Adopt a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health policy for
adolescents and ensure that sexual and reproductive health education is part of the
mandatory school curriculum and targets adolescent girls and boys, with special
attention paid to preventing early pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections;
(b)
Develop and implement a policy to protect the rights of pregnant
teenagers, adolescent mothers and their children and combat discrimination against
them;
(c)
Take measures to raise awareness of and foster responsible parenthood
and sexual behaviour, paying particular attention to boys and men.
HIV/AIDS
37.
In the light of general comment No. 3 (2003) on HIV/AIDS and the rights of the
child, the Committee recommends that the State party take measures to:
(a)
Implement the existing strategic plan to combat HIV/AIDS for 20142017 and start preparing a renewed strategic plan for the next period;
(b)
Sustain the measures in place to prevent mother-to-child transmission of
HIV and develop a road map to ensure the implementation of effective preventive
measures, including in rural areas;
(c)
Improve follow-up treatment for mothers infected with HIV and their
infants to ensure early diagnosis and early initiation of treatment;
(d)
Improve access to quality, age-appropriate HIV/AIDS, sexual and
reproductive health services;
(e)
Improve access to and coverage of antiretroviral therapy and
prophylaxis for pregnant women infected with HIV;
(f)
Seek technical assistance from, inter alia, the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and UNICEF.
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