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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2013/sep/06/child-health-live-chat
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Child health: delivering improvements through community-based care | Child health: delivering improvements through community-based care |
| (5 days later) | |
| Almost 75% of all child deaths are attributable to just six conditions: neonatal causes, pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, measles and HIV/Aids. But these conditions are all preventable and/or manageable with adequate treatment. With that in mind, is the biggest factor causing death of children a lack of access to healthcare services? | |
| Many who work in global health think so and have sought to bring down the barriers to access. Some have suggested embedding healthcare services within communities themselves – rather than investing solely in regional facilities – is the best way to ensure quality services reach remote and underserved groups. | Many who work in global health think so and have sought to bring down the barriers to access. Some have suggested embedding healthcare services within communities themselves – rather than investing solely in regional facilities – is the best way to ensure quality services reach remote and underserved groups. |
| Integrated community case management (ICCM), is a strategy that aims to extend services beyond health facilities, by identifying and training community health workers who can deliver quality care closer to home. This proximity enables treatment to be provided within a crucial 24-hour window and is already proving invaluable to communities . A 2007 World Health Organisation report on the home management of malaria in four African countries found that in Ghana 92% of carers of sick children sought treatment from community-based agents – most within 24 hours of the onset of fever. | Integrated community case management (ICCM), is a strategy that aims to extend services beyond health facilities, by identifying and training community health workers who can deliver quality care closer to home. This proximity enables treatment to be provided within a crucial 24-hour window and is already proving invaluable to communities . A 2007 World Health Organisation report on the home management of malaria in four African countries found that in Ghana 92% of carers of sick children sought treatment from community-based agents – most within 24 hours of the onset of fever. |
| Despite the signs of success, ICCM is not without its risks and challenges. First there is the challenge of designing a programme that reflects the cultural and social context of each community. Then there is a logistics and information challenge, developing a supply chain that ensures the flow of medicines and equipment is adequate and uninterrupted. To bring the nuts and bolts of the approach to life, well-trained and supervised community health workers have to be identified, recruited, motivated and retained. | Despite the signs of success, ICCM is not without its risks and challenges. First there is the challenge of designing a programme that reflects the cultural and social context of each community. Then there is a logistics and information challenge, developing a supply chain that ensures the flow of medicines and equipment is adequate and uninterrupted. To bring the nuts and bolts of the approach to life, well-trained and supervised community health workers have to be identified, recruited, motivated and retained. |
| So is ICCM worth the investment? How can its unique features be specifically geared towards reducing child mortality? What can be learned from existing programmes about how to take scale up these initiatives and integrate them into existing healthcare systems? | So is ICCM worth the investment? How can its unique features be specifically geared towards reducing child mortality? What can be learned from existing programmes about how to take scale up these initiatives and integrate them into existing healthcare systems? |
| Finally, just how sustainable is an approach that relies on volunteer health workers? | Finally, just how sustainable is an approach that relies on volunteer health workers? |
| Join our expert panel on Thursday, 12 September from 1-3pm BST to share your experiences and knowledge of community-based child healthcare services. | |
| The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). If you are unable to get online on Thursday, email your views to globaldevpros@theguardian.com or follow our tweets using the hashtag #globaldevlive | The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). If you are unable to get online on Thursday, email your views to globaldevpros@theguardian.com or follow our tweets using the hashtag #globaldevlive |