Tinkurugu (N/R), Nov. 26, GNA - Dr. Gianfranco Rotighiani, Regional Director for Central and West Africa of the United Nations Fund for Children (UNICEF), has appealed to parents, especially those in the rural areas, to ensure that iodated salt was used in the preparation of all meals given to children.

He urged pregnant women to always sleep under Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs) to avoid contracting malaria. Dr. Rotighiani said this when Madam Margaret Nmini, Acting District Director of Health Services for Savelugu/Nanton, revealed that only 12 percent of households in the district use iodated salt despite efforts made to promote its sale and consumption in the district. Dr. Rotighiani and some officials of UNICEF are in the district to inspect some projects funded by the organisation.

He and the team visited the Nanton Health Centre to access the impact of UNICEF's support for the maternal and child health care and nutrition support to the health facility.

NICEF provided a poly tank for the health centre as part of its integrated hand washing programme. The team also visited the Nanton L/A Primary School where it had also provided a poly tank and recreational facilities. The team also inspected a community water supply system at Tampion and the Libga dam water filtration system. Mad Nmini said 50 mothers groups had been formed in the district under the programme. She said the percentage of mothers practicing exclusive breast feeding had increased from 65 to 87 within the past three years while there had also been a significant improvement in the use of ITNs.