"My week in Inner Mongolia has really opened my eyes to
the plight of poor families in remote, rural areas of China, and of
the great work UNICEF and its partners are doing to help them",
Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF Ambassador Gigi Leung reported to
those gathered at a UNICEF Debriefing.
Gigi Leung pays a visit to
a local family in Inner Mongolia.
Inner Mongolia, an enormous province spanning almost half the
width of China's north, is one of the poorest of China's provinces,
with high maternal and child mortality rates and high rates of
child malnutrition.
The population of almost 25 million is widely dispersed, making
access to good health services difficult. While agriculture remains
the province's economic mainstay, the soil is poor and the harsh
climate allows only one harvest per year for farmers cultivating
the two staples of wheat and maize. The risk of drought often
threatens the livelihood of commercial farmers and this year's
catastrophic flood has devastated some communities.
Gigi had direct contact with families who experienced tragedy in
Keerqinyouyizhongqi county in northeastern region, including the
parents of a newborn infant, Xiao Xu (pseudonym). He died aged just
23 days when his family failed to seek proper medical care for a
fever he developed soon after his birth. Attempted treatment by a
village doctor did not help Xiao Xu and his parents could not
afford the cost of transport and treatment at the nearest township
clinic.
Gigi was also deeply moved by the parent's loss. She stressed
that families should heed UNICEF's message that the newborn period
is the time of highest risk for children in China, a time when
parents must seek treatment for illness by skilled health providers
without delay.
She noted that she had learned that subsidized costs for poor
families like Xiao Xu's are creating access to better, more
affordable care now. "In Hong Kong, we take for granted the
availability of food, water, transport and access to good care.
Here, people are struggling with very basic conditions. My heart
goes out to them and I am glad to be able to help UNICEF's
activities in Inner Mongolia."
UNICEF's Chief of Health in China, Dr. David Hipgrave, praised
the tireless efforts of the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (HKCU)
and the top celebrities who frequently attend UNICEF advocacy and
fundraising events on the Mainland.
"UNICEF's committees in 37 countries and territories are an
enormous source of funding for our programs, and their efforts
directly benefit communities like those Gigi visited this week", he
said.
"We are sincerely grateful to her and all the Hong Kong
Committee for the time and energy they have donated. We also give
thanks to our government counterparts in the Ministries of Commerce
and Health and in Inner Mongolia, who provided great support for
this week's visit, and to you, the media, for relaying information
about our work to assist China's poor children, hopefully inspiring
others to also assist our cause. Thank you all for being here
today!"
Gigi Leung plays together
with local residents in Inner Mongolia.
(China.org.cn October 22, 2007)
