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- Title
The contribution of child health days to improving coverage of periodic interventions in six African countries.
- Authors
Oliphant NP; Mason JB; Doherty T; Chopra M; Mann P; Tomlinson M; Nsibande D; Mebrahtu S; Oliphant, Nicholas P; Mason, John B; Doherty, Tanya; Chopra, Mickey; Mann, Pamela; Tomlinson, Mark; Nsibande, Duduzile; Mebrahtu, Saba
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Child Health Days have been implemented since the early 2000s in a number of sub-Saharan African countries with support from UNICEF and other development partners with the aim to reduce child morbidity and mortality.<bold>Objective: </bold>To estimate the effect of Child Health Days on preventive public health intervention coverage, and possible trade-offs of Child Health Days with facility-based health systems coverage, in sub-Saharan Africa.<bold>Methods: </bold>Data were assembled and analyzed from population-based sample surveys and administrative records and from local government sources, from six countries. Field observations (published elsewhere) provided context.<bold>Results: </bold>Child Health Days contributed to improving measles immunization coverage by about 10 percentage points and, importantly, provided an opportunity for a second dose. Child Health Days achieved high coverage of vitamin A supplementation and deworming, and improved access to insecticide-treated nets. Reported measles cases declined to near zero by 2003-5--a result of the combined efforts of routine immunizations and supplementary immunization activities, often integrated with Child Health Days. Collectively these activities were successful in reaching and sustaining a high enough proportion of the child population to achieve herd immunity and prevent measles transmission.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Additional efforts and resources are needed to continue pushing coverage up, particularly for measles immunization, in rural/hard-to-reach areas, amongst younger children, and less educated/poorer groups. In countries with low routine immunization coverage, Child Health Days are still needed.
- Publication
Food & Nutrition Bulletin, 2010, Vol 31, Issue 3, pS248
- ISSN
0379-5721
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1177/15648265100313s304