The IMCI strategy combines the improved management of childhood illness with aspects of nutrition, immunization and other important factors influencing child health, including maternal health.
The key objectives of the IMCI strategy are to:
- reduce death and the frequency and severity of illness and disability
- contribute to improved growth and development.
The IMCI strategy seeks to reduce childhood mortality and morbidity by adopting a broad and cross-cutting approach with the following three components:
- improving the case management skills of health workers through the provision of clinical guidelines on the integrated management of childhood illness, adapted to the local context, and training to promote their use;
- Improving the health system by:
- ensuring the availability of essential drugs and other supplies
- improving the organization of work at the health facility level
- improving monitoring and supervision;
- improving family and community practice through the education of mothers, fathers, other caregivers and members of the community, with a focus on health-seeking behavior, compliance, care at home and overall health promotion.
Each component includes a set of specific interventions, with emphasis on their practical implementation.
The main interventions of the global IMCI strategy evolve to take account of that become available from analysis of the global burden of childhood disease and from child health research.