As part of its efforts to improve the health status of women and reduce maternal and child mortality, the State adopted significant measures, including: - Establishment of training schools for health workers (in Nema, Aioun, Kiffa, Kaedi, Selibaby and Rosso); - Strengthening of healthcare coverage and increasing the quality and utilization of healthcare services; - Construction of health facilities; - Transfer of staff to peripheral areas; - Restoring the effectiveness of the health commodities central purchasing body; - Establishment of an institute on viral diseases; - Establishment in 2012 of a Sectoral coordination unit to accelerate attainment of health-related MDGs. - - These measures yielded the following results: - The prenatal consultation rate improved from 65.25% in 2012 to 67.7% in 2013; - Contraceptive use increased to 5.11% in 2013 compared to 4.31% in 2012; A rise in immunization coverage rates for children under the age of one year was also noted with BCG increasing from 86.56% in 2012 to 91% in 2013, polio3 from 77.7% in 2012 to 78% in 2013, penta3 from 78.42% in 2012 to 79.31% in 2013, and VAR from 69.65% in 2012 to 73% in 2013. In terms of health insurance, efforts deployed by the public authorities within the context of CNAM interventions, led to an increase in the healthcare coverage rate, the management of pathologies requiring evacuation and a better control of healthcare spending. As at 31 December 2014, the number of people with health insurance coverage was 356,873. This is due to the fact that healthcare coverage was extended to employees in public institutions, state-owned companies, private companies, pensioners of these groups as well as their dependents. Efforts were made in the following areas to reduce maternal and child mortality:  Human Resources - Recruitment in 2014 of 840 workers, all categories combined; - Setting up of a new database with measures to streamline the workforce; - In-service training and refresher programmes for staff and training abroad for specialists; - Training of 14 healthcare providers on laboratory techniques, 25 providers on ultrasound techniques, 60 providers in Nouakchott on IMCI, and 120 providers on BEmONC;  Health facilities - Construction of the School of Public Health in Selibaby, the paediatrics unit at the Hôpital Mère et Enfant, 13 health centres, 21 health posts and two hospitals in Kaédi and Boghé; - Commencement of works for the construction of two hospitals in Kiffa and Néma with a capacity of 150 beds each; 60