Luanda: The Minister of Social Action, Family and Woman's Promotion, Ana Paula do Sacramento Neto, reported in Luanda that Angola has seen improvements in maternal and child health, leading to a reduction in the mortality rate among children under five years of age. The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the presentation of the Report on the Profile of Children in Angola, IIMS 2023-2024.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the minister attributed these improvements to the implementation of integrated strategies and the expansion of vaccination coverage. She also highlighted concerns regarding social vulnerability and poverty, which impact the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of citizens, thereby affecting the development and well-being of children.
Ana Neto noted that data from the 2023-2024 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) reveals that children and adolescents make up more than half of the population in nearly all provinces, with Bi©, Uge, and Moxico having the highest percentages at approximately 57%. She emphasized the importance of strengthening human capital as a means to achieve global objectives in combating poverty through a decentralized social intervention model.
The minister remarked on the challenges posed by an increasingly demanding and globalized environment, which necessitates an active approach to address complex social phenomena. She pointed out that the newly launched report on the profile of children in Angola offers a valuable snapshot for reviewing past achievements, executing current plans, and projecting future initiatives.
The focus, according to the minister, should remain on implementing social action at the municipal level, with local administrations working towards reducing social inequalities and vulnerabilities throughout citizens' life cycles. She expressed confidence that the data from the report would provide indicators and targets aligned with the National Development Plan 2023-2027, enhancing the quality and humanization of services.
The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MCS) for Health 2023-2024 was conducted from September 17, 2023, to January 31, 2024, as part of the National Statistical Development Strategy (ENDE) 2015-2025 and the Action and Activities Plan of the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
