Child survival

The Ministry of Health, with help from 5 U.S. advisors and (mostly Pakistani) consultants, will implement activities in training; information, education, and communication (IEC); operations research (OR); and health information systems (HIS). Training will be the major focus, reaching 15,000 medical and 6,000 paramedical personnel, especially through DDC case management training. An interlinked training/follow-up system system will be set up, extending from 18 new DDC Training Units at medical schools, through 48 new Feeding/Oral Rehydration Therapy centers (FORT"s) at district hospitals, to some 4,000 ORT corners to be established at rural health facilities. Once the infrastructure has been developed, ARI training will be introduced. The project will also provide training in HIS and EPI technical skills and in computers, and U.S. Master"s training. The project will develop IEC products (radio/TV spots, educational and training materials, etc.) for targeted audiences within the general public and the health sector. In addition, a social marketing approach will be used to promote and market CS products (particularly ORT products and iodized salt - the latter needed to reduce devastating rates of infant mortality, cretinism, and goiter in Pakistan"s northern mountain valleys) and information through private manufacturers, distributors, and communications channels. OR will be conducted in collaboration with health departments, medical colleges, and select research institutions. Strategies for reaching unserved women will be a priority topic, while other studies will address, inter alia, clinical/nutritional aspects of CDD; social/medical aspects of service delivery strategies; and the effectiveness of EPI injection equipment. To facilitate networking between Pakistani and international researchers, some OR will be channeled through A.I.D./W projects. Finally, the project will develop computerized HIS"s for both management and epidemiological data at the federal and provincial levels. A second project phase of assistance to non project-managed activities (e.g., grants to medical schools, NGO"s, etc.) is contemplated.