PESHAWAR, Dec 4: The United Nations Children’s Fund should support efforts to improve maternity and child healthcare facilities in the NWFP, says NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq.

He said this while talking with Omar Abdi, Unicef’s country representative, who called on him on Thursday along with Osama Makkawi, provincial chief of the UN’s children’s fund.

Expressing concern over poor healthcare facilities in the NWFP in this regard, the minister urged Unicef to speed up its activities, especially in the rural and areas with hilly terrain.

Mr Haq said that the situation in the NWFP had deteriorated over the years because of the prevalence of poverty, resulting in extreme backwardness.

Children in the NWFP, he said, were faced with malnutrition, mainly because of poverty and lack of awareness in this regard.

He highlighted problems faced by pregnant women, saying that they braved life-threatening situations while undergoing maternity and childbirths, adding that the situation in this regard was more pathetic in rural areas.

Mr Haq said, while citing lack of communication affecting the access to doctors in remote areas, he stressed the need for Unicef’s help, saying its support was essential in such conditions.

He suggested that besides expanding its routine activities, Unicef should also help rehabilitating addicts and provision of education facilities to blind people.

Unicef representatives, while assuring proper action on these proposals, said that their organisation was planning to expand its programme for the welfare of children, especially in connection with girls’ education and health cover.