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[8 November 2007] - The Kenyan Government has launched a campaign aimed at reducing the high maternal and childhood deaths. Health minister Paul Sang said the Malezi Bora initiative will encourage women and children to seek treatment in public health facilities on a regular basis. "It is unacceptable, for example, that one in every nine children born in this country dies before the age of five from preventable diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia," Mr Sang said. Studies show malnutrition is the underlying cause in up to 55 per cent of these deaths. Families and communities should ensure children sleep under mosquito nets every night and give them vitamin A supplement every six months to boost their immunity. The minister was speaking at a ceremony to launch the initiative held at Mathare North health centre, Nairobi. With him were the Director of Medical Services, Dr James Nyikal, and Nairobi provincial medical boss Sam Ocholla. The UNICEF (Kenya) nutrition chief, Ms Noreen Prendiville, said her organisation had given Sh65 million this financial year to help in promoting health services among mothers and children. "Despite Kenya experiencing one of the strongest economic growth in years, it is unfortunate that one third of the children have experienced stunting in their growth due to malnutrition," she said. It's worrying, she said, that less than three per cent of infants are exclusively breastfed from birth to six months. The World Health Organisation representative, Dr David Okello, said although 90 per cent of pregnant women attend antenatal care on a regular basis, only between 30 to 40 per cent actually deliver under the care of skilled midwives in hospitals. Further information