Study

Integrated Health Strategies Can Save Children's Lives:UNICEF

The report emphasises the need to empower local communities to provide immediate assistance to sick or severely malnourished children

Strategies that can help reduce the number of children who die before their fifth birthday were highlighted at the launch of the recent UNICEF's global flagship report—The State of the World's Children 2008: Child Survival. While recent global data show a fall in the rate of under-five mortality, the report goes beyond the numbers to suggest actions and initiatives that should lead to further progress.

"Community-level integration of essential services for mothers, newborns and young children, and sustainable improvements in national health systems can save the lives of many of the more than 26,000 children under five who die each day," said Ann M Veneman, Executive Director, UNICEF.

The report describes the impact of simple, affordable life-saving measures, such as exclusive breastfeeding, immunisation, insecticide-treated bed nets and vitamin A supplementation, all of which have helped to reduce child deaths in recent years.

UNICEF Country Representative in India Dr Gianni Murzi, echoed, "We can reduce child mortality in India through these interventions and the sustained strengthening of health systems with increased community participation. Integrated health, nutrition and sanitation interventions are essential to make a significant dent in the problem of child survival in the country."

"The world will not achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) without India achieving the MDGs. In order to do this, proven and cost effective interventions must be scaled up without delay. The government, UN, civil society, private sector as well as academic institutions must unite for Indian children in a concerted and urgent effort," he said.

The approach to child survival that the report advocates sees the best disease-specific initiatives combined with investment in strong national health systems to create a continuum of care for mothers, newborns and young children that extends from the household, to the local health centre, to the district hospital and beyond.

The report emphasises the need to empower local communities to provide immediate assistance to sick or severely malnourished children while seeking transfers to medical facilities. These communities generate necessary demand for quality healthcare and their engagement is vital if marginalised and remote populations are to be reached.

"Stepping up investment in health systems will be crucial if we are to meet the child health targets set by the United Nations, but progress can be made even when health systems are weak," said Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organisation from Geneva.

EH News Bureau