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Summary: WHO's approach to child health has seen
evolution and change. Stimulated by the
growing body of evidence, it has
shifted in focus from single disease
control programmes to a new integrated
approach to the treatment and
prevention of childhood illness.
WHO's Summary of the publication
"In Brief"
WHO's approach to child health has seen evolution and change.
Stimulated by the growing body of evidence, it has shifted in focus
from single disease control programmes to a new integrated approach
to the treatment and prevention of childhood illness. IMCI is an
approach that accepts and responds to the condition of the sick child
in all its complexity It is also a flexible approach that extends and
builds on existing health care systems, avoiding duplication of
effort, improving efficiency and making the best and most cost-
effective use of scarce resources.
Evidence from those countries already implementing IMCI is
encouraging and the list of countries wishing to start the
implementation process in the near future is growing rapidly To
provide the best possible leadership to countries, CHD will maintain
its function in research and development, in providing technical
guidance, and in monitoring and evaluating the
impact of IMCI. With continued support and collaboration with our
international partners, we believe we can radically change the way
child health is approached in much of the developing world. We know
what needs to be done. We owe it to the more than 11 million children
who die needlessly each year to give them fairer access to that basic
human right - health.
During the past five years, the WHO'S Division of Child Health and
Development has been working to find ways that will
bring about a significant increase in the number of children who grow
into healthy, productive adults. We believe we have identified a
strategy that works, and we are now helping developing countries to
apply that strategy in ways appropriate
for them.