AID grant to Save the Children Federation for a program in child survival

SCF will implement activities such as oral rehydration therapy, immunization, growth monitoring, and nutrition education in collaboration with existing health services, and in Nepal, through social marketing strategies. In Bolivia, SCF will establish a community-based primary health care system in two target areas in the Iturralde and General Jose Ballivan provinces. A public health field team will supervise and train health promoters to: (1) organize and coordinate quarterly mass immunization programs; (2) perform growth monitoring of children under 5 years; and (3) provide health/nutrition education for parents, focusing on breastfeeding, weaning, supplemental food use, and diet. Community development committees and area Ministry of Health (MOH) personnel will be trained to maintain a system for monitoring and identifying the health care needs of pregnant women and children under 5 years. In communities in Pespire and Intibvca, Honduras, SCF will promote ORT through improved distribution networks, social marketing, and family training. MOH immunization coverage will be improved through public awareness efforts, recipient targeting, and provision of equipment, supplies, and logistic support. Training will be provided to: (1) community-selected "health guardians" to provide growth monitoring, nutrition counseling, and, as necessary, Vitamin A deficiency treatment; (2) SCF promoters, community health volunteers, and families to recognize acute respiratory infections; and (3) community health volunteers to provide child spacing information and referral services. SCF will help area health centers maintain iron/folic acid pill and contraceptive supplies, register all families, and develop an information system to target individual and community needs. In Nepal, SCF will increase appropriate and sustained ORT and contraceptive use through a social marketing program and ORT training in the seven more accessible Ilakas in Gorkha District. To develop program strategies, SCF will conduct market research on cultural beliefs, transportation, communication, and distribution related to ORT and contraceptives. Commodities and TA will be procured from the Nepalese Contraceptive Retail Sales Company.