Peru

Life can be a struggle for children in southern Peru, where the climate is harsh and the economic situation remains difficult.

OVERVIEW

Known for its high mountain peaks, Peru has struggled to emerge from political turmoil. An estimated 45 percent of the population are native Indian, many living in rural communities without health care for their children. The child mortality rate for Peru is seven times worse than the child mortality rate in the United States.

IMCI PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMING

-Clinical Training

The Peruvian Ministry of Health has provided clinical IMCI training to doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals for improved diagnosis and treatment of diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections, measles, malaria and malnutrition. Assistance for this training comes from a number of organizations including the Pan American Health Organization, and the American Red Cross.

-Community IMCI Projects

Chao

Chao is located in the department of La Libertad, near the coastal city of Trujillo in northwestern Peru. The population is approximately 12,000.

Community groups are organizing efforts to improve child health through:

• Improved awareness of the 16 Key Family Practices among local families to improve the health of children under five years old and pregnant women. This will be accomplished through information dissemination and communication campaigns.
• Improved monitoring of community health conditions by families, health services and other community groups.
• Analysis of local sanitation problems and promotion of community hygiene education.
• Improved coordination of community health services, working towards integrated attention to children under five and for pregnant women.

Huancane

Huancane is located in the department of Puno in the southern region of Peru. The population is about 28,400.

Community groups are organizing efforts to improve child health through:

• Improved medical care for pregnant mothers before, during, and after childbirth, including teaching local mothers to identify the danger signs of childhood illness and to seek appropriate care when needed.
• Encouraging mothers to exclusively breast feed their children up to six months old and continue to breast feed children up to two years of age while providing complementary nutrition. Mothers will also learn to develop better nutrition practices for children up to five years of age in times of illness.
• Instruction for families in the community on developing improved personal and family hygiene habits and improving community sanitation.
• Promotion of the 16 Key Family Practices through networks and community groups, utilizing local resources.
• Organizing a process of continuous improvement to reduce infant and maternal mortality, drawing from traditional practices and cultural customs in attending to safe childbirth.

Santa Clara and Alto Nanay

Santa Clara and Alto Nanay are located in the departments of Alto Nanay, and Iquitos. The total population of the area is 7,514.

Community groups are organizing efforts to improve child health through:

• Increased participation of parents and caregivers for children under five years old to protect their health and improve their growth through the 16 Key Family Practices with support from community groups.
• Promotion of the Key Family Practices to improve basic environmental sanitation through agreements and participation from relevant community groups and local governments.
• Development of integrated, quality care for children under five years old, improving skills and abilities for health and Red Cross personnel, as well as facilitating access to health services.

Vital Statistics for Peru
Human Development Ranking (out of 162 nations)	73
Population	27,483,864
Population growth rate	1.70%
Infant mortality rate	39.39 deaths/1,000 live births
Under-five mortality rate	52 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth	70.3 years
Total fertility rate	2.96 children born/woman
Maternal mortality ratio	270 deaths/100,000 live births
HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate	0.35%
People living with HIV/AIDS	48,000
HIV/AIDS deaths	4,100
GDP per capita	$4,550
Population living on $1 a day	15.50%
Population living below national poverty line	49%
Population without access to safe water	23%
Population without access to adequate sanitation	24%