Child Health Now launches in El Salvador

World Vision El Salvador launched the Child Health Now project that aims to improve the maternal and child health and reduce mortality in Salvadoran infants less than 28 days of life. This initiative will also contribute to the Millennium Development goals 4 and 5 to reduce by 2/3 the maternal and child mortality.

Different personalities attended the event including Dr. Marina Estela Ávalos, Director of Management Support and Health Programming –Ministry of Health; Zaira Navas from the National Council for Childhood and Adolescence, CONNA; José Florentino Rivas, Major of Carolina municipality, San Miguel; Dr. Evelyn de Calderón, representative of the Neonatal Alliance in El Salvador ; Damaris Parada, Representative of the Municipal Council of Children, Adolescents and Youths; Natalia Korobkova, Regonal Coordinator for the Child Health Now Campaign; Dr. Ricardo Calderón, National Director of World Vision El Salvador and representatives from the East area of El Salvador where the project will be implemented. 

Also, representatives of national and international organizations such as UNICEF, Pan American Health Organization –PAHO, Intervida, Plan El Salvador, Save the Children, CALMA, Wall Foundation, University of El Salvador, Salvadoran Institute of Social Security –ISSS-and Ministry of Health were part of the activity.

The initiative seeks to support the communities to raise their voices about their right to access to quality health services; to influence decision-makers and health service providers in favor of the maternal and child health and to make alliance with other key stakeholders such as NGO, local governments, public sector to work together for the child and maternal health. 

It is expected to directly benefit around 216,000 inhabitants from the municipalities of Carolina and Ciudad Barrios in San Miguel; Yamabal and Guatajiagua in Morazán.

Currently, the neonatal mortality rate is 9 per 1,000 live births which represents 56 percent of infant mortality (younger than one year of age). Therefore, World Vision seeks that all families have access to education, prevention and health assistance to ensure that children, especially the most vulnerable, live healthfully in their communities. 

A team of experts from the Center of Dialogue and Analysis of Maternal and Child Health of El Salvador was introduced to the participants in order to create a space of discussion on how to improve the maternal and child health conditions of the country. 

Child Health Now is a global initiative of World vision that started two years ago in different countries. In Latin America and the Caribbean was launched on July, 2011 where Bolivia, Brasil, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador are participating.