Evaluate the Implementation of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness regarding Nutritional Care in Egypt

Abstract

Background: The Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) is a cost-effective strategy that advocates utilization of evidence-based protocol in the management of common childhood illness. WHO estimated that 56% of childhood deaths worldwide are attributable to the effects of under nutrition. Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the implementation of IMCI strategy regarding nutritional care of under five years children in Mansoura district. Research Design: The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design. Subjects and sampling: The total number of the study subjects was 501 (36 healthcare professionals (HCPs), 456 caregivers and their children under five years and 9 mangers of healthcare settings). Setting: This study was carried out in nine primary health care settings affiliated to Mansoura District, Dakhalia governorate, Egypt. Study tools: three tools were used for data collection. 1-Healthcare professionals' occupational and educational qualifications data assessment sheet. 2-Observation checklist of case management implementation. 3- Mangers' feedback self-administrated questionnaire. Results: current results showed that (23.8%) of newborn suffered from feeding problems and 64.3% of their caregivers informed when to back immediately to health center. The treatment of feeding and underweight for age problems for children from 7 days to two months constitutes(53.3%). Nearly half (48.2%) of total children were observed by HCPs showed poor level of adherence to case management compared to 18.6% of them showed good level of adherence. All mangers reported lack of motivation and insufficient number of trained health care workers among the constraints of IMCI implementation. Conclusion: the level of adherence of HCPs regarding children's case management of nutritional status was poor for nearly half of cases compared to less than one fifth showed good level of adherence. Recommendations: the study recommended that IMCI in-service training should be adequately addressed the health care providers with knowledge about the importance of nutrition in health.