Health

A world where all children are healthy

 

Globally, children in the poorest households are twice as likely as those in wealthier households to die before their fifth birthday, and the most vulnerable continue to face a similar burden of health challenges as they did decades ago. Almost half of under-five deaths occur during the newborn period, and vulnerable children are still exposed to preventable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria, which together are responsible for almost half of under-five mortality. Children who have not yet received routine vaccinations – referred to as zero-dose children – account for nearly half of all vaccine-preventable deaths.

At World Vision, we confront these realities head-on. Our health interventions are designed to address the leading causes of illness and mortality among children under five. Through family- and community-centered approaches, we focus on behaviour change, community and health systems strengthening, and advocacy at various levels to break the cycle of vulnerability.

Our work aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. By working closely with families, communities, and partners, we are committed to addressing immediate health challenges and contributing to the broader global agenda of achieving universal health coverage and improving overall well-being.

88%
Over the last ten years, 88% of the severely malnourished children we treated made a full recovery.

Our Approaches

Children running together

Health and Nutrition Sector Approach (HNSA)

In alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and the WHO Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescent Health, World Vision is focused on holistic child wellbeing, incorporating the promotion of child and adolescent development to prepare them for lifelong health.

Child being weighted

Community Health Workers (CHW)

World Vision engages in a wide range of community health activities globally, many of which draw on the efforts of community health workers or CHWs. World Vision's CHW programmes aim to work with existing health structures through strong, long-term partnerships in order to deliver consistently high standards of quality implementation, training and support, to enable community health workforces that are sustainable, functional and effective. World Vision is committed to ensuring community systems and health systems strengthening approaches.

Women with children part of health programmes

Nurturing Care Groups (NCG)

An integrated cross-sectoral model based on the Care Groups approach, addressing a range of social norms and behaviour change in health, nutrition, WASH, early child development and child protection.

Mothers participate in community health committee

Community Health Committees (COMM)

Empowering community stakeholders and leaders to identify, plan and promote improvements in health and nutrition practices, social norms and services.