UNICEF: Mother and Child Health Week amidst crisis in Madagascar

UNICEF: Mother and Child Health Week amidst crisis in Madagascar Video Clips. Duration : 2.62 Mins.

www.unicef.org ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, 8 November 2010 -- People are getting poorer by the day in Madagascar, and there is no real safety net for them. The country is in the midst of a political and financial crisis, following last year's violent coup. Funding cuts by international donors have hit the social welfare system, especially health services, hard. Meanwhile, the suspension of international trade agreements has devastated the economy. Over the last year, more and more health centres have been forced to close their doors, depriving local populations of vital services. Centres that have remained open tend to be under-stocked and understaffed; many lack antibiotics and other medicines, such as the life-saving drug oxytocin, which is used in childbirth. UNICEF Representative in Madagascar Bruno Maes said the crisis has profoundly weakened basic health services, leaving parts of the system in danger of collapsing. UNICEF and its partners launched Mother Child Health Week at the end of October despite the dire circumstances and the withdrawal of government support. While mothers were encouraged to bring their children to health centres, teams of outreach workers brought health services to more than 4 million people.

Keywords: UNICEF, Madagascar, Mother, Child, Health, Week, survival, and, development, Immunization, Nutrition, 9492

The Effect of Lay Health Worker Programmes on Mother and Child Health and Tuberculosis

The Effect of Lay Health Worker Programmes on Mother and Child Health and Tuberculosis Video Clips. Duration : 11.13 Mins.

This summary of evidence about the effect of lay health worker programmes (on mother and child health and tuberculosis) is derived from a Cochrane Review published in 2010. This video builds on a 7-page SUPPORT Summary of the same review, prepared for health policy makers in low and middle-income countries. The summary can be found at the SUPPORT web site, and the full systematic review at The Cochrane Library: SUPPORT Summary abstract: www.iecs.org.ar Download pdf of SUPPORT Summary: www.iecs.org.ar SUPPORT Summaries on other topics, relevant to health policy decisions in low and middle income countries: www.iecs.org.ar The full systematic review at the Cochrane Library: onlinelibrary.wiley.com Full systematic review reference: Lewin S, Munabi-Babigumira S, Glenton C, Daniels K, Bosch-Capblanch X, van Wyk BE, Odgaard-Jensen J, Johansen M, Aja GN, Zwarenstein M, Scheel IB. Lay health workers in primary and community health care for maternal and child health and the management of infectious diseases. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD004015. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004015.pub3. We welcome your comments and feedback on this video, which is a pilot project for dissemination evidence from systematic reviews to broad audiences.

Keywords: evidence-based, systematic review, health systems research, health care, developing countries, primary health care, lay health workers, village health workers, community volunteers, peer counsellors, substitution, task shifting, human resources for health, maternal and child health, child mortality, camtasiaformac, educational