We implement high-impact practices at the community and facility levels to reduce preventable childhood deaths and improve health throughout the life course. Globally, the leading causes of death in children under five are pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria, and about one-third of all childhood deaths are linked to undernutrition. These conditions are preventable and treatable.
FHI 360’s comprehensive approach to child health focuses on improving access to and quality of integrated community case management; integrated management of newborn and childhood illness; infant and young child feeding; emergency triage, assessment and treatment; and immunization. We are also developing implementation guidelines for the Global Child Thrive Act to promote early child development and reduce childhood mortality rates through a multisector approach.
For example, FHI 360 is part of a larger PSI-led consortium in the MOMENTUM Private Healthcare Delivery Project (funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)), where we provide technical assistance to improve the quality of, access to and demand for child health services in the private and public sectors. We are supporting the newborn, child health and nutrition components of provider training and supervision, with a focus on integration of newborn and child health and nutrition services with family planning service delivery and demand generation. FHI 360 is also implementing a quality improvement (QI) collaborative focused on child health and nutrition in Mali.
In addition, through the Alcançar (Mozambique), Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Activity (Uganda), and Mhuri/Imuli (Zimbabwe) projects, funded by USAID, FHI 360 is working to improve the quality of maternal and child health services in close collaboration with ministries of health through national and regional platforms. The Alcançar project is supporting microplanning at the district level to ensure integration of child health services into clinical outreaches, including support to districts to ensure adequate commodities, staffing and resources. These projects are applying QI methods to improve child health services provided at the facility and community levels.
