the Committee has learned that 27 percent of the total population of children are deprived of a family environment. With regards to adoption, the Committee notes from the State Report that the State Party is in the process of reviewing the 1989 Adoption Act, which is not inline with the Charter and other international standards. The Committee recommends the State party to take the following measures: a) Fast track the adoption and immediate implementation of the Alternative Care Policy under the guidance of the Alternative Care Task Force; b) Establish effective monitoring and oversight mechanisms for formal and informal (menpikin) alternative care arrangements and inter-country adoptions; c) Give priority to the prevention of family separation and promote sustainable alternative local and family based care mechanisms, instead of keeping children in institutional based arrangements; d) Provide financial support to alternative care institutions and provide incentives for local family based alternative care; e) Accelerate the amendment of the Adoption Act based on the charter and international standards and f) Consider accession to the Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoptions. F. Basic health and welfare 24. The Committee notes with appreciation the various policies and legislative measures which are established towards ensuring access to basic health services to children. While the Committee applauds the launching of the Free Healthcare Initiative (FHI) by the State Party, the Committee; however, notes that the FHI is predominantly supported by partner/donor funding. The Committee recommends the State Party to allocate adequate Government based financial and human resources to sustainably implement the Free Healthcare Initiative and take necessary steps to ensure that health care is both accessible and affordable to all children throughout the Country. The Committee further notes with appreciation the adoption of the Persons with Disability Act, which, among other things, guarantees equal access to healthcare. The Committee recommends the State Party to allocate adequate budget for the full implementation of the Act, and ensure equal access to health services, free health care for children with disabilities and the provision of assistive devices. The Committee further recommends the State Party to take the following measures. a) Provide technical and financial support to the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to enable the organ to advance the right of access to healthcare services of children with disabilities; 10