Authors: World Health Organization
This report presents highlights of the work accomplished by the WHO Department
of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (MCA) in 2012 and 2013. The
scope and mandate of the work of the Department are broad. Through research,
MCA generates new evidence to shape norms, standards and guidelines that serve to
guide countries in adopting the most effective, evidence-based policies and strategies. It
supports building capacity for moving towards universal access to high-quality, integrated
health services, and supports the measurement of progress. Much of this work has been
carried in collaboration between WHO headquarters, regional and country offices, with
other departments of WHO and with partners.
The environment in which MCA works is dynamic, and progress is evident in all population
groups. The global maternal mortality ratio fell by 47% between 1990 and 2010, and
the under-five mortality rate decreased by 47% between 1990 and 2012. However, this
progress is not sufficient, and achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5
is still not ensured. In 2012, 6.6 million children died before their fifth birthday. Of these,
nearly three million were newborns in their first month of life. 287 000 women died due
to complications of pregnancy and childbirth, and the annual 2.6 million stillbirths remain
silent tragedies. The health of adolescents has attracted increased attention. First, there
are many of them – often more than 20% of the population, with the proportion highest in
low and middle-income countries. Second, there is a growing recognition that the health
problems and health-related behaviours that arise during adolescence have important
implications for adult health, and for public health in general.
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Resource Topic: Community Case Management, Community Health Workers/Volunteers, Human Resources Management/Workforce Development, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Orphans and vulnerable children/OVC
Resource Type: Issue papers, Journal articles, Research
Year: 2014
Region:
Country: Global
Publisher May Restrict Access: No