Healthcare for Children

In Senegal, one in seven children will die before reaching the age of five!

Senegal has a one of the highest rates of child mortality worldwide: 93 deaths out of 1,000 per live birth for children under five, compared to 8 out of 1,000 in the United States (WHO). Most of these deaths are due to infection – primarily diarrheal disease, pneumonia, and malaria. Almost all children are impacted by malnutrition.

Our program provides early solutions

Most child deaths occur at home before the mother is able to reach health facilities.  At SHI, we are committed to improving health worker skills, health systems and family/community practices.  We ensure that essential medications and equipment are available and help to purchase and distribute them.

Working with communities, SHI supports efforts to improve family and community practices.  These practices include:

• education on breastfeeding for infants and young child feeding

• proper hygiene in order to control the spread of disease

• malaria prevention through the consistent use of treatment nets and symptom recognition

• insistence on the importance of seeking professional medical attention at a health facility at the onset of the symptoms of illness