HAVANA, Dec. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Thoraya Obaid, praised Cuba on Saturday for advances made in sexual and reproductive health.

    "What I have seen in the island nation in terms of sanitary conditions, reproductive and sexual health, as well as education is something I have not observed in any other country I visited inthe past," said Obaid, of Saudi Arabia, who is on a three-day visit to the island.

    She noted that nearly all Cuban children are in school, the health services have a universal character, and the dangerous pandemic of HIV/AIDS is kept at a low rate of incidence, thanks toa correct government strategy.

    "This has not happened in any other country, and I feel truly proud of what is being done by everyone in the country," said the UN official.

    Obaid said the Cuban authorities have paid special attention to all the aspects of sexual and reproductive health, which has made the island reach the 2015 world targets in this area.

    Each year half a million women die around the world because of complications related to pregnancy, with an enormous difference between poor and developed nations, Obaid said. One in 16 women die of delivery-related problems in Africa, whereas figures show that it is only one out of 2,800 women in industrialized societies.

    Because of this, Obaid said she was happy to learn of the advances Cuba made in this aspect.

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