KHARTOUM, 24 November 2008 - The second - or 'pulse' - phase of the Sudan Accelerated Child Survival Initiative (ACSI) will get underway in five northern states of Sudan tomorrow as part of continued efforts to tackle the common causes of child mortality in the country.
The 'pulse' phase, led by the Ministry of Health and supported by UNICEF and WHO, focuses on five key states, utilizing local health workers and volunteers to deliver a series of critical health services directly to families - these include provision of de-worming tablets and specially-treated bed nets to protect families against malaria, along with information on the value of exclusive breastfeeding. In this second round of the initiative, at least 1.4 million children under the age of five will be targeted in Blue Nile, Kassala, Gedaref, South Kordofan and North Darfur states.
The phase will also complement a polio immunization campaign running in the fifteen states in the north of Sudan, targeting approximately 6.2 million children, as part of Sudan's ongoing contribution towards global eradication of the disease. In states implementing the 'pulse' ACSI phase, polio immunization will be delivered through the same teams of health workers, maximizing the outcome of their efforts.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow's launch, UNICEF Representative Ted Chaiban welcomed efforts by the Government of Sudan to address child mortality.
"The major causes of mortality amongst children in Sudan are either preventable or easily treatable. These include diseases such as pneumonia, malaria, diarrhoea and measles" he said. "Routine primary health care, regularly accessible to mothers and children, is essential to reducing mortality and improving the overall health of the nation. The Accelerated Child Survival Initiative is a vital step towards that goal."
World Health Organization Representative Dr. Mohammad Abdurrab noted "In addition to boosting the key child interventions provided at first level health facilities, and by bringing those interventions close to the homes of children, the ACSI demonstrates a collaborative endeavour between UN agencies, health authorities and local governments in which the communities and families play a key proactive role in responding to the campaign."
"Combining child survival interventions with the polio immunization campaigns has proved its effectiveness in reaching almost all children under five in their homes. In this way, Sudan will be able to reach not only ACSI goals, but achieve the goal of polio eradication as well" he added.
The 'pulse' phase in the five states follows from a successful first round of the initiative, which saw 4.3 million children in the north of Sudan reached with a life-saving package of services
including measles and polio vaccination, vitamin A supplementation, de-worming, hand washing and breastfeeding promotion, and the distribution of long lasting insecticide treated bed nets.
The under-five mortality rate in Sudan is estimated at 112 deaths for every 1,000 live births, according to the 2006 Sudan Household Health Survey - the Accelerated Child Survival Initiative is seen as a vital strategy to aid Sudan in reaching the child survival Millennium Development Goal of reducing under-five mortality to just 62 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The 'pulse' phase of the Sudan Accelerated Child Survival Initiative is a further boost to the 'kick-start' round undertaken in May. Activities starting tomorrow will include de-worming in all five target states, followed by the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets from 30 November to 5 December in North Darfur, Gedaref and South Kordofan.