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Education, health ministers present awards to new mothers

Education Minister Alyaksandr Radzkow and Health Minister Vasil Zharko visited a maternity hospital in Minsk on Monday to hand out presents among women who gave birth on July 3, Belarus' Independence Day, BelaPAN reports.

Belaya Rus, a pro-government organization which is led by the education minister, plans to distribute a total of 400 sets of baby clothes among mothers at maternity hospitals across the country.

According to Mr. Radzkow, the purpose of the campaign is to promote motherhood. "By congratulating the women who gave birth in the national center we are congratulating all of the country's mothers and children," he said.

One of the mothers, Volha, said that she had given birth to her second son, Kiryl, on the morning of July 3. "It turns out that the entire country will celebrate his birthday every year and a fireworks show will take place in our honor," she quipped.

While talking to reporters, the ministers said that the country's birth rate was not falling, while the mortality rate was decreasing. Mr. Zharko stressed that the mortality rate among mothers, infants and children was on the decline this year compared with 2009.

On the same day senior government officials visited other maternity hospitals in Minsk to distribute the presents.