Household Integration Could Potentially Improve the Integrated Community Case Management Strategy for Childhood Illnesses | Biomedgrid

Malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea have together caused most childhood deaths particularly in resource poor underserved areas, though they are preventable and curable. The Integrated Community Case Management strategy building on previous child survival programmes has been adopted to improve access to treatment of children at risk of these diseases. Despite its gains in some areas however, the neglect of the role of households is a major constrain in achieving its full potentials. The integration of the households in the iCCM would importantly make family members responsive and responsible to healthcare decisions and provisions, if they are properly empowered. The effect of this would be the appropriate recognition and distinguishing of childhood illnesses at home, prompt and appropriate management at home, prompt and appropriate self-referral attitude as well as awareness and demand of appropriate services at formal and informal points of care. Furthermore, it will offer a source for generating and maintaining reliable data on childhood illness events.