The Solution

Healthy children is the goal of IMCI.

Today the principles of IMCI are being taught to reduce childhood deaths through sustainable, community based projects. The American Red Cross is working together with partner societies throughout the Americas and select other countries to improve local capacities to provide low cost, high impact health services. These include community visits by local Red Cross volunteers, improving local health care systems, and instruction to local mothers and caregivers on the importance of diagnosis and early treatment when their children become ill. This information is part of the 16 Key Family Practices, a comprehensive plan for improving children's health.

In addition to reaching out at the community level, health care professionals receive instruction on the proper diagnosis and treatment of the five biggest killers of children which include diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections, measles, malaria, and malnutrition. This is being done in conjunction with the Ministry of Health of each participating country.

The Ministry of Health, Red Cross volunteers, mothers, teachers, local government officials and other community groups come together to discuss the causes of the health problems facing their children. These discussions are based on assessments and evaluations of the at-risk community. By involving these groups in project design local commitment is established, and together they agree on the proper intervention that their community will take to address the problem. IMCI programming can take many forms, such as training health care workers in IMCI methodology and treatment, home visits by Red Cross volunteers, health education for caregivers and other options.