Unicef calls on Tanzania to invest in early childhood development

Dar es Salaam.  Tanzania can only benefit economically and socially through participatory development activities and a range of opportunities if the government invests at least $2300 for every child in early childhood development, it has been revealed.

United Nations Childrens Fund ( Unicef), Early Childhood Development, Ms Tuzie Ediwn said this today December 16, during a symposium on rights of the child organized by Unicef, Mwananchi Communications Ltd, Tanzania Editors Forum, and the Ministry of Health, Gender, Elderly and Children Development.

She said the government needs to come up with interventions that target early childhood including ensuring that children grow in a safe ,secure, loving environment , have access to health services, and proper nutrition.

"To ensure the interventions are valid, the government needs to put up friendly policies for children, as well as reviewing the current 2008 child development policy," she said.

She explained that a child's brain develops from the time of pregnancy up to three years after it is born which then determines the kind of person they will become.

On her part speaking about maternal health,  Amref Health Africa in Tanzania, Dr Florence Temu said they have a strategic plan on mothers’ health, newly-born, disease control as well as health services.

She said, for a pregnancy to be healthy it needs to be well planned from inter adolescent period up to time of pregnancy until birth.

"However a majority of pregnancies are not well prepared for a good outcome either health wise or, economically," she said.

Further she noted that a majority of deaths caused during childbirth can be avoided by 67 per cent if trained midwives perform the service.

According to her many deaths are caused by anemia, placenta rapture, among other factors.