New child health records launched

The Nutrition Unit and Community Nursing Service within the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), officially launched the New Child Health Records for St. Vincent and the Grenadines and a New Immunization Manual on Monday, May 16.{{more}}

This took place at the Kingstown Methodist Church Hall from 10a.m.

The New Child Health Records were developed through the Growth Monitoring and Promotion Improvement Project spearheaded by the Nutrition Unit and the National Infant and Young Child Nutrition Committee, and jointly sponsored by the World Bank/National HIV/AIDS Project, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

It introduces the new World Health Organization (WHO) child growth standards; the new WHO/UNICEF Infant and Young Child Feeding guidelines, and the new PAHO/IMCI child development screening tool into the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) Programmes of the primary health care system.

They are expected to improve the health system’s capacity to more accurately measure the weight, height, and head circumferences of children under five years; improve assessment and monitoring of their growth, feeding practices, and development milestones, and are a guide to health and early childhood practitioners, parents and guardians in the actions to improve the nutrition, growth and development of infants and young children.

In an effort to provide Health Workers with up-to-date knowledge about immunization and to maintain and improve EPI services and standards, the new Immunization manual outlines in detail the current trends in management of the Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) and will: “Define and clarify recommended policies and procedures related to immunization; Enhance the efficiency, safety and effectiveness of client services; and Provide a collaborative approach to immunization between Ministry of Health, agencies and providers responsible for immunization”.

It will function as a tool in an effort to maintain and improve immunization services and standards in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and act as a reference tool. The EPI manual is designed primarily for health personnel who are responsible for the implementation of the immunization programme at the Hospital and district levels.

Together, these new records and manuals are expected to result in great improvements in the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and Growth Monitoring and Promotion (GMP) programmes of the primary health care system and better service to the nation’s children and their families.(DD)