Strengthening care for infants and young children
Consultation au Centre Médico-social pour la Protection maternelle et infantile (PMI)
Overview
There has been significant progress in child survival in the Western Pacific Region. The overall estimated under five mortality rate was reduced by 65% between 1990 and 2011. Moreover, the estimated total number of deaths among children under the age of five years decreased by almost 80%. However, around 1052 children under the age of five still die everyday; 72% of deaths of children under five years of age are due to neonatal causes, pneumonia and diarrhoea.
WHO Western Pacific Regional Office’s priorities are to support Member States to:
- Improve identification and management of neonatal sepsis, pneumonia, diarrhea and malnutrition.
- Expand current child immunization and growth monitoring visits to prevent common problems such as injury, violence and malnutrition.
- Promote exclusive breastfeeding until six months and continuing breastfeeding and additional appropriate complementary foods until at least two years of age.
- Reduce exposure of children to indoor air pollution and other environmental hazards.
Key facts
54% of hospitals with maternity services in the Region have been certified at least once as Baby-Friendly Hospitals.
Eleven countries have passed national legislations to implement the recommendations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes.
In the Western Pacific Region, under-five mortality rate has reduced by more than 71% since 1990.