Irian Jaya's infant mortality rate high

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Vice Governor Basyir Bachtiar expressed concern yesterday at the higher-than-the-national-average mortality rate of children under five in the province.

Basyir attributed the high infant mortality rate, to the poor health conditions in the province.

"The infant mortality rate in Irian Jaya is 93 per 1,000 births while the national rate is 81 per 1,000 births," he told a delegation from House (of Representatives) Commission VI for Health and Social Affairs led by Idi Surwaya.

Despite the high infant mortality rate, life expectancy in the province has increased every year for the last six years.

"In 1990, the life expectancy in Irian Jaya was 57 years, and it had risen to 61 years by 1996," Basyir said as quoted by Antara. (mds)