Save the Children works in close coordination with the Ministry of Health in Guatemala to help support and strengthen more than 60 health workers and 60 communities in the department of Quiche - the department with the highest rates of infant and child mortality.
The main goal of the project in Guatemala is to reduce child mortality by increasing the use of the community health worker interventions to save lives at community and home level.
More than 20% of newborns are treated for pneumonia or diarrhea which can quickly turn deadly if left untreated. Having a trained community health worker to intervene meant these children's lives were saved. Many health workers also regularly provide vaccinations and antibiotics, in addition to teaching mothers about newborn care and breast feeding.
It is necessary and important to continue the training for these community health workers to ensure high medical standards, as well as expand the program to other areas of need. The project benefits a population of approximately 7,500 children under 5 years of age.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
