THE UNITED NATIONS SAID TODAY (TUESDAY 5/13) FUNDING SHORTAGES
FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH COULD EXACT A TERRIBLE HUMAN PRICE IN THE
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD. 

OFFICIALS OF THE U-N POPULATION FUND URGED THE WORLD'S 
RICHER NATIONS TO LIVE UP TO COMMITMENTS THEY MADE AT A 1994 
CAIRO CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT.

IN CAIRO, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AGREED THEY WOULD PAY TWO-THIRDS 
OF THE COST OF A PACKAGE OF BASIC REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE. THE 
DONOR COUNTRIES AGREED TO PAY THE OTHER THIRD.

DR. NAFIS SADIK, WHO IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE U-N POPULATION 
FUND, SAYS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WILL PROBABLY MEET THEIR GOAL, 
BUT SAYS INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE, AFTER TWO PROMISING YEARS,  IS
STAGNANT. UNLESS THE SITUATION IS REVERSED, DR. SADIK SAYS THE 
HUMAN TOLL COULD BE ENORMOUS.  

         WE ESTIMATE THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 120-MILLION 
         UNWANTED PREGNANCIES, ALMOST 49-MILLION ABORTIONS, 
         PERHAPS AN ADDITIONAL 65-THOUSAND MATERNAL DEATHS AND, 
         FIVE-MILLION DEATHS OF INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN. THESE
         FIGURES ARE TERRIBLE, BUT THEY ARE NOT ETCHED IN STONE. 
         THEY CAN ALL BE AVOIDED IF ALL THE COUNTRIES OF THE 
         WORLD, BETWEEN NOW AND THE YEAR 2000, MEET THE 
         COMMITMENTS THEY MADE IN CAIRO. 

DR. SADIK SAYS SEVERAL COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, 
HAVE ACTUALLY REDUCED THEIR FUNDING FROM EARLIER LEVELS.

THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PACKAGE INCLUDES SUCH ELEMENTS AS 
VOLUNTARY FAMILY PLANNING AND PREVENTION OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED 
DISEASES, INCLUDING AIDS, ALONG WITH RESEARCH, DATA AND POLICY 
ANALYSIS. 

DR. SADIK SAYS FUNDING FROM THE RICHER DONOR COUNTRIES SHOULD 
INCREASE 23 PERCENT A YEAR UNTIL THE YEAR 2000. THE CAIRO 
CONFERENCE ADOPTED A 20-YEAR ACTION PLAN THAT FOCUSES ON 
INDIVIDUAL WELL-BEING AND RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE 
WHEN TO HAVE CHILDREN.  SUCH A REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PLAN, U-N 
OFFICIALS SAY, IS CRITICAL IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 
AS WELL AS IMPROVING THE STATUS, EDUCATION AND HEALTH OF WOMEN.

THE U-N POPULATION FUND SAYS ITS PROJECTIONS SUGGEST BETWEEN 
96-MILLION AND 175-MILLION PEOPLE MIGHT BE DENIED ACCESS TO 
FAMILY PLANNING IN THE YEAR 2000 BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET SHORTFALL.
IN ONE WORST-CASE SCENARIO, WHICH WOULD SEE A REDUCTION IN 
FUNDING BY THE DEVELOPING NATIONS,  UNWANTED PREGNANCIES COULD 
EXCEED 200-MILLION AND THE NUMBER OF DEATHS OF INFANTS AND YOUNG 
CHILDREN WOULD REACH NEARLY 10-MILLION. 

13-May-97 3:47
Source: Voice of America

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