PSI

Children are one of PSI’s most important target groups. Nearly 9 million children under the age of five die each year. Tragically, about two-thirds of child deaths are preventable with practical, low-cost interventions. PSI uses an integrated approach to improve child survival by helping developing countries address diarrheal disease, pneumonia, malaria and malnutrition.

Almost half of all child deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and a third in South and Southeast Asia. The impact of disease varies greatly by region, with most child deaths occurring in rural areas, although city slums with poor infrastructure have high child death rates as well. Targeting child survival is an essential part of addressing the health and development of an entire community. When parents are confident about their child’s survival, they invest more resources in that child’s future. As such, improving child survival is an integral part of helping communities escape the cycle of poverty.

In more than 60 countries around the world, PSI applies targeted marketing concepts and techniques to encourage healthy behaviors that benefit individuals and society. PSI relies on existing commercial market channels and community mobilization to generate awareness about the value of key child health behaviors that combat pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and malnutrition. PSI also uses targeted promotion and distribution through schools, health clinics, community based organizations and integration with HIV/AIDS care programs, in addition to emergency response, to reach the most vulnerable populations. These channels allow PSI programs to reach national scale by building health products and communications into existing networks. From television, radio and print media, to community level interpersonal communication (IPC), PSI combines education to motivate behavior change with the provision of necessary health products and services to reduce child mortality. Local knowledge, attitudes and practices are integrated into communications messages by continually conducting outreach and research to understand local customs and cultural norms. PSI supports national ministries of health to implement integrated child survival programs and enable the scale-up of proven, evidence-based interventions that are appropriately packaged and marketed in the local context.

Healthy Lives through Partnership

PSI is proud to partner with a diverse group of governments, international and national implementing organizations, multilateral institutions, and the private sector to assure the success of our child survival programs. Some partners include the US Centers for Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Emory University, P&G, UNICEF, U.S Agency for International Development, and the World Health Organization.

ACTwatch is a research project designed to provide policymakers with evidence on trends in availability, price and use of antimalarials.

Five & Alive, PSI’s campaign for child survival, provides children and their families with the education, products, services and care needed to improve health and save lives in more than 30 countries.

Malaria

Malaria threatens approximately half of the world’s population; the majority of deaths from malaria occur among young children in sub-Saharan Africa. To prevent malaria, PSI supports ministries of health throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America to rapidly achieve high and sustained net coverage of vulnerable populations. In 2010, PSI distributed its 100 millionth net. Additionally, PSI supports the global effort to increase access to effective malaria treatment through the public and private sectors and at the community level. To date, PSI has delivered more than 24 million malaria treatments in a number of countries, including Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Sudan.
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Diarrheal Disease

Each year, almost two million children around the world die from diarrheal disease stemming from unsafe water and poor hygiene practices. PSI combats death from diarrheal disease by providing the knowledge and tools needed to both prevent and treat diarrhea. On the prevention side, PSI promotes hand washing, sanitation and safe drinking water. Through household water treatment, a water quality intervention that employs proven, easy-to-use and inexpensive solutions appropriate for the developing world, PSI empowers people to ensure every sip of water they drink is safe. Since beginning the safe water program, PSI has empowered communities to treat more than 93 billion liters of water. PSI disseminates communications materials to encourage people to wash their hands at key times and use appropriate sanitation services.

In order to treat diarrheal disease and prevent the deadly dehydration that results, PSI works with partners to educate caregivers on the use of oral rehydration salts and zinc. PSI also works to expand the availability of these life-saving products through commercial and other non-traditional channels.
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Pneumonia

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death among children under five, killing more children than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. 1.6 million children die from pneumonia each year, accounting for almost 1 in 5 deaths of children worldwide. To improve diagnosis and treatment, PSI uses a community-based and clinical approach to delivering broad spectrum antibiotics to children under five. PSI implements communications strategies to educate the community on pneumonia prevention strategies and enhance the ability of caregivers to recognize the symptoms of pneumonia and to seek prompt treatment for those displaying symptoms. In addition, PSI has developed easy-to-use pre-packaged therapy kits, available through private clinics and community-based health workers to treat pneumonia in children under five.
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Malnutrition

In the developing world, nearly one-third of children are underweight or stunted. Malnutrition has a significant impact on children’s lives, limiting physical and cognitive development, and undermining their immunity - making them more susceptible to infectious disease. Malnutrition is an underlying cause of approximately 3.5 million child and maternal deaths each year. As part of the integrated approach to health, PSI works to improve maternal and child nutrition by introducing multivitamins and other supplements into a community, accompanied by complimentary education and behavioral campaigns to correct misconceptions and facilitate the adoption of healthy behaviors, such as exclusive breastfeeding.