04/26/2002

Regarding Dr. Thomas Messe's Feb. 19 letter about the United Nations Population Fund and its work in China. I have spent over 15 years in international family planning, and many of the programs I developed have been replicated in China.

China is the most populous country, with a total population of 1.248 billion people. This vast population, comprising over one fifth of the world's population, has to support itself on only 7 percent of the world's arable land. To address this problem, the Chinese government has accorded population policies the utmost priority. The policy aims at keeping the annual population growth rate below 1.25 percent, maintaining fertility rates at replacement level and limiting the total population to below 1.3 billion.

The government also places great emphasis on maternal and child health (MCH). A three-tier MCH network has been created for prenatal, perinatal and postnatal care.

We need to understand that there are two separate family planning programs at work in China -- one directed by the Chinese government and one by the United Nations. Dr. Messe's letter wrongfully attributes government policy to the United Nations.

UNFPA has provided assistance to China since 1979. This program officially ended in 1995. The current program, Reproductive Health/Family Planning (RH/FP) Project, was approved by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)/UNFPA Executive Board in January 1998. Because of this project, the Chinese government has agreed to lift birth quotas. This project seeks to establish a client-oriented reproductive health approach, which will provide a wide range of quality health services, encompassing maternal health care and extensive family-planning services. As part of the RH/FP project, a pilot program that deals with adolescent reproductive health is being undertaken in urban areas. Another U.N. reform, the women's empowerment project, aims at contributing to the improvement of women's economic status and gender equality. A third U.N. endeavor, the advocacy project, focuses on advocacy for client-centered reproductive health, esteem of the girl child, male involvement and adolescent reproductive health.

The U.N. has done an excellent job of helping to solve the numerous problems facing China. I challenge Dr. Messe to be part of the solution, rather than misrepresenting the complex issues that only aggravate the problem.

MIRIAM INOCENCIO

Providence

The writer is president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island.