[Global child health--interventions that work]

Over the last decades, better drinking water and hygiene, improved nutrition and vaccines and antibiotics have greatly reduced child mortality and morbidity. Still, 11 million children under the age of five die every year, many of them from diseases that could have been prevented or treated, given existing knowledge and technology.

On the basis of a review of recent literature, this paper discusses current strategies to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality.

Sufficient knowledge and technology exist to further improve the health of the worlds' children. Poverty and its consequences--weak implementation and organisation of health services--is a major obstacle.

In order to improve health services in developing countries, additional resources are needed. There is also a need for better quality of service. This will require increased efforts in the field of health policy and systems research.