Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)
IMCI is an integrated approach that focuses on the health and well-being of the child. IMCI aims to reduce preventable mortality, minimize illness and disability, and promote healthy growth and development of children under five years of age. IMCI includes both preventive and curative elements that can be implemented by families, in communities and in health facilities.
The strategy includes three main components:
Improving case management skills of healthcare providers;
Improving health systems to provide quality care;
Improving family and community health practices for health, growth and development.
In health facilities, the IMCI strategy promotes the accurate identification of childhood illnesses in outpatient settings, ensures appropriate combined treatment of all major conditions that affect a young child, strengthens the counselling of caretakers, and speeds up the referral of severely ill newborns and children. In the home setting, it promotes appropriate care seeking behaviours, improved nutrition and support for early childhood development, prevention of illness, and correct implementation and adherence to treatment.