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Child health

The state of the worlds children 2008: child survival

Annual UNICEF report recommends strengthening child and maternal health systems



Authors:
Publisher: United Nations [UN] Children's Fund , 2008

Full text of document

The State of the World’s Children 2008 provides a wide-ranging assessment of the current state of child survival and primary health care for mothers, newborns and children. The report argues that these issues serve as sensitive barometers of a country’s development and wellbeing and as evidence of its priorities and values, and states that investing in the health of children and their mothers is a human rights imperative and one of the surest ways for a country to set its course towards a better future.

The report is divided into five chapters:

  • Child survival: where we stand: examines the state of child survival and primary health care for children, with a strong emphasis on trends in child mortality
  • Lessons learned from evolving health-care systems and practices: appraises lessons from failures and successes in child survival over the past century
  • Community partnerships in primary health care for mothers, newborns and children: examines the role and importance of community partnerships in providing health care to mothers, newborns and children
  • Strengthening community partnerships, the continuum of care, and health systems: looks at several of the most promising approaches - community partnerships, the continuum of care framework and health-system strengthening for outcomes - to reach those mothers, newborns and children who are currently excluded from essential interventions
  • Uniting for child survival: provides recommendations for action.
The report identifies six pivotal actions at the macro level that urgently require unified engagement to intensify efforts for maternal, newborn and child survival and fulfil the right of women and children to health and well-being. These are:
  • work towards creating a supportive environment for maternal, newborn and child survival and health
  • develop and strengthen the continuum of care across time and location
  • scale up packages of essential services by strengthening health systems and community partnerships
  • expand the data, research and evidence base
  • leverage resources for mothers, newborns and children
  • make maternal, newborn and child survival a global imperative.