Sustainable development and quality health care

On the occasion of Development Week in Canada, Dr. Remi Sogunro spoke in February, 1994, about the many achievements of quality primary health care and PLAN's strategy to achieve sustainability. In one generation, under-5 mortality has been cut by a third. Deaths from measles has been reduced from 2.5 million to 1 million a year. Skeletal deformities from polio also have been reduced from 1/2 million to less than 140,000. Despite all this, there is much more to be attained. 35,000 children under 5 die from preventable diseases every day in developing countries. The health community is working hard to address these silent emergencies. PLAN International's primary health care program targets the poor and undeserved populations where diseases are prevalent. The main focus of PLAN's programs are mothers and children who are most vulnerable to disease. Key interventions that PLAN gives priority to are childhood and maternal immunization programs, including pre- and post-natal care for mothers. Other interventions under PLAN's comprehensive primary health care program include: control of diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections, growth monitoring, nutrition and control of STDs and HIV/AIDS infection, water and sanitation, family planning information and educational services, and rehabilitation of the handicapped. "Go in search of people, begin with what they know, build on what they have," goes a Chinese proverb. This also summarizes PLAN's guiding principle for achieving sustainable development: the importance of investing in people. PLAN's programs in the field build partnerships and empower communities. PLAN's emphasis on institution-building and capacity-building with local institutions is an important part of organizational strategy to ensure sustained development.