tutor. The Committee however notes with concern that children separated from their parents for reasons not caused by the State may be placed in a group home or institution. The Committee also notes that no data is provided in the report on the number of children in such placements. The Committee further notes with concern that despite provisions on the maintenance of a child; this only refers to children born within marriage. The Committee therefore recommends that children should be put in group homes of institutions only for a short period of time pending long-term solutions being sought. The Committee also recommends that regulations should be developed for the coordination and monitoring of such institutions or group homes. The Committee further recommends that legal provisions on maintenance should be amended making them applicable to both children born in and out of wedlock. Adoption 15. The Committee notes the existence of legal provisions to guide adoption process and that the opinion of children is sought prior to a decision being reached. The Committee however was informed that there are challenges on monitoring of post adoption process. The Committee therefore recommends that regulations should be developed for the regulation of post adoption process. The Committee further recommends that the State Party consider acceding to the Hague Convention on International Adoption. F. Basic health and welfare 16. The Committee notes that the State Party recognises the importance of providing equal access to publicly funded social services and the importance of ensuring the health of children by implementing free health services to all children, and that there is an increase in trends on the number of births assisted by health professionals although???. The Committee is however concerned that healthcare and medical facilities are understaffed with most of these in urban areas and cannot be easily accessed by people living in rural areas. The Committee is also concerned at the under 5 mortality rate particularly the number of deaths from preventable diseases and poor sanitation. The Committee is further concerned at the low number of health personnel trained on the handling of HIV/AIDS and the availability of ART to pregnant women and children infected with HIV along with the deterioration of nutritional status of children under 5 since 2001. The Committee therefore recommends that the State Party to:  Ensure provided health care is appropriate to children’s health needs and health services are adequately staffed with trained health personnel;  Increase budgetary allocation to the health sector and ensure health services are easily accessible to children in rural areas;  Implement measures to address the under 5 mortality rate and improve sanitation;  Provide families with financial support to enable them adequately care for their children; 6