Community-Based Treatment for Children in Africa

This project represents CIDA’s continuing contribution to the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) “Bringing Life-Saving Treatment to Children: A Commodities Approach” program. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of deaths of children under five years of age by improving access to treatment for malaria diarrhoea and pneumonia and by expanding coverage for preventive interventions. The project focuses on sub-Saharan African countries with extremely high child mortality rates. Oral rehydration therapy for diarrhoea antimalarial treatment for malaria and antibiotics for pneumonia are provided through a network of trained and supervised community health workers. The IRC is helping to build capacity for community-based treatment and working to improve key government systems including supervision and mortality registrations.