The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Chinese government have launched a joint project to improve the health of China's mothers and infants.

Koen Vanormelingen, of UNICEF in China, said on Friday that the project would provide pre-natal and post-natal guidance, medical and health services for women.

The project would be implemented as a five-year plan in 13 provinces and 50 counties starting this year, said Koen.

It would target children aged up to five and educate family care-givers on healthy practices and nutrition.

UNICEF has conducted similar projects since 1999 in 11 provinces and 60 counties in western China. In 2003, it conducted a pilot program in the southwestern Guizhou Province which has above average mortality rates for infants and pre- and post-natal women.

Ministry of Public Health figures for 2004 show that the infant mortality rate was 21.5 per thousand, and that of pre- and post-natal women was 48.3 in every 100,000.

Source: Xinhua