The three components of IMCI

IMCI (Integrated Management of Childhood Illness) is meant to move along the two tracks of the health system and community, respectively, while promoting the establishment of strong links between the two. Much emphasis is given to capacity-building. Traditionally, then, IMCI is presented as a strategy which has three components, aiming to:

improve health workers’ skills;

improve health systems; and

improve family and community practices.

Improving health providers’ skills

Improving health providers’ skills mostly refers to clinical and communication skills and covers both pre-service education and in-service training, public and private sector.

Improving health systems

Improving health systems to deliver IMCI concerns policy, planning and management, financing, organization of work and distribution of tasks at health facilities, human resources, availability of drugs and supplies, referral, monitoring and health information system, supervision, evaluation and research. Health sector reform efforts, although being an umbrella which covers also human resources and their capacity, are usually listed under this component.

Improving family and community practices

Improving family and community practices currently refers to 12 key family and community practices related to child health and development that, if properly promoted and adopted by the targeted communities, would potentially contribute to improving child survival, growth and development.