Pediatrics
Protect the lives of the most vulnerable.
Context
On the African continent, many women and children do not have access to medical care, safe drinking water and sanitation, or food in sufficient quantity or quality. The lack of information on essential health practices (vaccination, hand washing, protection against mosquitoes, breastfeeding of children during the first 6 months, etc.) is also the cause of many maternal and child deaths. In order to reduce child mortality in areas affected by conflict and humanitarian emergencies, ALIMA provides care for children up to the age of five, including pediatric consultations, nutritional care and routine vaccinations.
According to the World Bank, despite a 50% decline in child mortality rates between 1990 and 2018, approximately 15,000 children under the age of five die every day. The highest death rate is in sub-Saharan Africa, where one child in 13 does not reach their fifth birthday. Malnutrition rates remain alarmingly high in all ALIMA intervention countries. By 2020, Unicef estimates that more than 15 million children under the age of five will be acutely malnourished in West and Central Africa.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to reduce neonatal mortality to at least 12 per 1,000 live births and children under five mortality to 25 or less per 1,000 live births..
15,000
children under five die every day
1/13
children do not reach their fifth birthday in sub-Saharan Africa
616,463
children under 5 years of age received medical care from ALIMA in 2021
The ALIMA response
Despite significant progress, today 15,000 children under five still die every day, most from preventable diseases. The survival of young children must remain a public health priority, even in the most difficult areas. This is why ALIMA works in regions affected by conflict and humanitarian emergencies to care for children under the age of five and support their healthy development.. Each year, ALIMA’s pediatric care programs treat hundreds of thousands of children to combat malnutrition and other diseases such as malaria, one of the leading causes of child mortality in Africa.
Our activities
Nutritional care
ALIMA staff screen and provide care for malnutrition. They also train health workers and communities on nutritional health.
Pediatric consultations
ALIMA health workers provide free prenatal and postnatal consultations. ALIMA midwives also offer family planning services and make home visits to provide follow-up for new mothers and their babies.
Routine vaccinations
The 1,000-day program developed by ALIMA aims to provide care for pregnant women and their children. Routine vaccination is introduced with an integrated approach. In the areas where this program is implemented (Niger in 2016, Chad in 2017 and Burkina Faso today), the number of children who have received all their vaccines exceeds 80%, one of the highest vaccination rates on the African continent.
Research
The AIRE project (Improving Identification of Respiratory Distress in Children), which is coordinated by ALIMA, Terres des hommes, Solthis and Inserm, aims to improve the diagnosis and management of childhood respiratory diseases. The research component is being implemented by Inserm in four countries: Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger. The studies conducted will evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and consequences of the use of pulse oximeters on the health of children under the age of 5. This project is funded by Unitaid.
Our child health programs
On the ground
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