"The diseases can be prevented if they have a good knowledge and awareness of healthy life."Makassar, South Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Nearly 150,000 Indonesian children under five die of preventable diseases every year, according to UNICEF.
"The preventable diseases are closely related to personal and environmental healthcare." Head of UNICEF Communication and Partnership Cluster for Indonesia Edward Carwardine said here on Saturday.
Carwardine noted that awareness of healthcare among economically weak, low educated people is still low.
Consequently, many children under five are susceptible to diseases caused by bad sanitation, such as diarrhea, dengue fever, and other communicable diseases, he said.
"In fact, the diseases can be prevented if they have a good knowledge and awareness of healthy life," he said.
He also said data compiled by UNICEF show around 10,000 Indonesian women die due to a complication of post-childbirth diseases in one year.
The minimum basic health services and health facilities in a number of certain areas is responsible for the high number of deaths, he said.
(Uu.S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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