Facility based IMNCI

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Global Health

Background:

• India confronts the world's highest burden of neonatal and under-five mortality, with 1.8 million deaths in 2008.
• Existing progress rates indicate India will miss the Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4) target for reducing under-five mortality by 2015.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the critical need for improved care of sick children in referral facilities.
• To optimize the benefits of the Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses (IMNCI) approach for child survival through enhanced healthcare professional capacity.

Main Methods:

• The study describes the development of the Facility-based Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses (F-IMNCI) package.
• This package is designed to build the capacity of healthcare professionals in referral units for managing severe childhood illnesses.

Main Results:

• The F-IMNCI package aims to standardize the assessment, classification, and treatment of sick children based on disease severity.
• It emphasizes pre-referral treatment for severe illnesses and enhances the skills of health workers in referral hospitals for better diagnosis and management.

Conclusions:

• Capacity building of healthcare professionals is crucial for maximizing the impact of IMNCI on child survival.
• The F-IMNCI package represents a strategic intervention by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, to improve neonatal and child health outcomes.