Newborn health

In the South-East Asia Region, around 52% of under-five mortality is contributed by deaths during the neonatal period. It is critical to address this for achieving Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4).

Factors that impact neonatal outcomes include the health status and care received by the mother before and during pregnancy, during childbirth and postnatal care of the mother and neonate.

WHO and UNICEF in their Joint Statement recommend home visits for newborns in the first week of a baby’s life as a strategy to deliver effective elements of care to newborns and increase newborn survival. WHO-UNICEF package for home-based newborn care is available to enable community health workers to conduct home visits. Home visits support families in adopting appropriate care for newborn and mothers not only after childbirth but also during pregnancy, including encouraging families to seek care from skilled health providers. Facility based newborn care is supported by the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) at first level and by referral care at hospitals.