Data resource profile: countdown to 2015: maternal, newborn and child survival

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Public Health Policy
• Demographic Analysis

Background:

• Reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) remain critical global health challenges.
• Significant disparities exist in RMNCH outcomes across countries, necessitating targeted interventions.
• The Countdown to 2015 initiative was established to monitor progress in RMNCH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compile comprehensive evidence on RMNCH progress in 75 high-burden countries.
• To provide updated data and analyses for assessing country-level RMNCH improvements.
• To inform policy and programmatic decisions aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS).
• Incorporated mortality estimates from the Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation and Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group.
• Integrated financing data from OECD DAC and health system/policy data from WHO.

Main Results:

• Profiles offer detailed information on demographics, mortality, nutritional status, and intervention coverage.
• Data includes within-country inequalities in coverage and health system functionality indicators.
• Financing, policy, and health system indicators provide a holistic view of RMNCH determinants.

Conclusions:

• The Countdown to 2015 country profiles serve as a crucial resource for evaluating RMNCH progress.
• Regularly updated profiles facilitate evidence-based decision-making for improving maternal and child health outcomes.
• The comprehensive data aids in identifying disparities and prioritizing interventions in countries with high RMNCH burdens.