Focus Area: Infant and Neonatal Health

Photo: CCP/Palmer, A

Statement of the Problem

Deaths in children under the age of 5 years have declined substantially in recent decades, yet nearly 11 million children continue to die annually around the world, mostly from preventable causes. An estimated two-thirds of these deaths occur in infancy, and, in turn, two-thirds of infant deaths occur in the first month of life. Three-fourths of these deaths occur in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to these 4 million neonatal deaths, due principally to serious bacterial infections, birth asphyxia, and complications of prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), an estimated 3.9 million pregnancies end in stillbirth. World leaders recently agreed at the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000 to work together to reduce the deaths of under-5 children by two-thirds by the year 2015. This goal is unattainable, however, without an increased focus on neonatal health, particularly in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, as deaths during the neonatal period now comprise the single largest category of under-5 mortality.

HaRP Approach

The Health Research Program (HaRP) seeks refinement of the IMCI approach for the health needs of very young infants through:

• Applied research on the cause of disease and death in this age group
• Documenting the clinical signs to aid in diagnosis
• Research on the treatment and prevention strategies to reduce neonatal mortality.

Related Links

• Diarrhea Treatment Guidelines - Not Yet Field Tested [PDF, 282KB]
  Guidance on how to implement the new WHO/UNICEF recommendations for the use of ORS and zinc supplementation in the clinical management of diarrhea. The guidelines presented in this document are generic; that is, they will be most effective when modified to support the particular strategy being used to introduce the new recommendations in each country.
  • Spanish Version [PDF, 322KB]
• Diarrhea Guidelines for New Diarrhea Treatment Protocols for Community-Based Healthcare Workers - Not Yet Field Tested [PDF, 116KB]
  A generic guide to help community-based healthcare workers improve diarrhea management. The new tools described in this guide will help to prepare community-based healthcare workers to better help mothers treat a child with diarrhea. In addition this guide will help them to know when to refer children with more severe diarrhea and dehydration.
• Report to Congress: Health-Related Research and Development Activities at USAID - May 2006 [PDF, 881MB] (requires Adobe Reader)
  The U.S. Congress requested that USAID provide a report describing its role in the research, development, and application cycle and its efforts to coordinate research and development activities with other agencies. With this report USAID provides a proactive strategy for using research funds and a plan for stimulating the development and introduction of key products to address diseases affecting the developing world and countries in transition. Also access the 2005 Report to Congress [PDF, 2.8MB]