Both IMCI and its evaluation, the MCE, depend on successful, dynamic partnerships that will continue to grow as IMCI becomes more available and tailored to each country’s needs, on the basis of the evaluation results. At country level, IMCI brings together local staff and partners from the many programmes serving children, as well as those responsible for drugs, supervision and monitoring, to forge an alliance in support of child health. Joint plans are developed to coordinate the inputs from various sources, so that they complement one another.

MCE is a collaborative effort. An external technical advisory group provides guidance and oversight. WHO staff, collaborating research institutions, and consultants contribute other inputs. WHO Regional Office and HQ staff cooperate with MCE sites to plan and implement IMCI. Ministries of health take part in all country activities, so that lessons learned may be used to improve IMCI implementation.

The following are examples of partnerships:

• In Tanzania, MCE is evaluating the combined effects of IMCI and district strengthening activities. The latter are implemented by the Ministry of Health and the Tanzanian Essential Health Interventions Project, with support from IDRC.

• In Uganda, MCE is funded by USAID, and implemented by the Bloomberg School of Public Health of The Johns Hopkins University. WHO, USAID and a group of NGOs support the implementation of IMCI, especially its community component, in the ten participating districts.

• In Bangladesh, USAID is supporting the community component of IMCI through a contract with ICDDR, B for circa US$ 0.5 million.

• BRAC, a national NGO, is assisting in the community-component of IMCI in Bangladesh

• The World Bank is collaborating with MCE on analyses of equity issues in child health; MCE will provide technical input into the initiative Reaching the Poor.

• The Rockefeller Foundation is collaborating with MCE on child-health equity issues. This collaboration may extend beyond current activities, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to study the effectiveness of various health-service delivery strategies in meeting the needs of the poor.

MCE partnerships are limited only by the need to maintain focus and to achieve MCE goals. Proposals for collaboration focused on the core work of MCE are welcomed.