Partner Spotlight: Child Survival Action Initiative

This month, PMNCH is proud to spotlight the work of the Child Survival Action (CSA) Initiative, a renewed call to action which aims to unite governments, civil society, academic institutions and development partners to address child mortality and achieve SDG Target 3.2 on ending preventable newborn and child deaths by 2030. 

The Sierra Leone Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Child Health Task Force, announced the launch of the CSA initiative in April 2023. It is coordinated by the Secretariat of the Child Health Task Force and includes representatives from the Global Financing Facility (GFF), Save the Children, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The initiative follows a strategic and effective approach to reach the most vulnerable children at risk from leading killers – pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria - with life-saving interventions. It focuses on the 59 countries, 45 in Africa, that urgently need accelerated efforts to achieve the SDG3 2030 target on child mortality, and strengthens primary health care in facilities and communities to more effectively prevent, diagnose, and treat the causes of child deaths. By building effective partnerships, working across the continuum from pre-pregnancy to childhood, it mobilizes required resources to deliver on a renewed vision for children’s health, nutrition and survival. 

Most recently, during the 77th World Health Assembly and the Lives in the Balance events , CSA  launched a technical brochure that promotes primary health care and assesses progress towards the SDGs and key indicators related to child health. In addition, CSA, together with Every Newborn Action Plan – Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (ENAP-EPMM) and PMNCH, developed a 2-page brief outlining six critical actions necessary to accelerate progress for maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH). Building on the commitments from EPMM and ENAP, the Child Survival Action initiative outlines necessary next steps to ensure that no child will die of preventable and treatable causes. More resources are available on the Child Health Task Force website. 

In June 2023, Sierra Leone became the first country partner to launch a national child survival action plan. Shortly thereafter, Hon. Dr Austin Demby, Minister of Health in Sierra Leone, declared maternal and child survival a matter of great concern and a public health priority, requiring commitment and action on par with that of a health emergency. He called upon fellow Ministers of Health in Africa to join him in recognizing this generation-defining challenge. As Dr.  Demby has said: “Think of the baby born in Sierra Leone today, does that baby have a voice of its own? The voiceless need to be defended.” Other countries including Liberia, Nigeria, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali and Madagascar are following in the steps to develop their CSA plans. 

PMNCH applauds Sierra Leone’s leadership, and is honored by a long history of collaborating with the Ministry of Health on initiatives that advance women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health (WCAH).  Sierra Leone is among 11 countries that the Global Leaders Network, chaired by  H.E. President Ramaphosa and supported by PMNCH, is planning to engage with to lead an accelerated in-country programme of action towards the SDG targets of maternal, neonatal and under 5 mortality.  

Key to the impact of this effort is the Collaborative Advocacy Action Plan (CAAP) initiative, a government-led approach aimed at improving the quality and implementation of existing WCAH commitments and mobilizing new commitments in identified gap areas. This multi-constituency initiative centers around a partner-informed systematic scoping and assessment of WCAH commitments in each CAAP country, conducted through a broad-based multistakeholder platform (MSP) of WCAH partners. These efforts result in development of a context-specific advocacy plan, which aims to rally partners’ efforts around prioritized goals. As part of the CAAP development process in Sierra Leone, two PMNCH partners, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Sierra Leone Office  and  Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD)  are playing an active role, with CHAI Sierra Leone serving as the country coordinating partner.  YPPD previously partnered with PMNCH to mobilize young people’s engagement for the 1.8 Billion Young People for Change campaign and the Global Forum for Adolescents (GFA) in October 2023, reaching over 100,000 young people in Sierra Leone.  

To provide a digital platform for Sierra Leone partners to engage and share country-specific information, the Sierra Leone Digital Advocacy Hub will be launched to complement the MNCH Digital Advocacy Hub that is aimed to foster engagement among partners to advocate for child survival, among other MNCH priorities.  

Special thanks to Dyness Kasungami, Senior Child Health Adviser and Coordinator, Global Child Health Task Force Secretariat for her unwavering commitment to tackle the unfinished agenda of child survival;  Hon. Dr. Austin Demby, Minister of Health Sierra Leone, for his leadership on the Child Survival Initiative in Sierra Leone, at regional and global levels, as well as Dr. Tom Sesay, Director of  Reproductive and Child Health, Sierra Leone Ministry of Health; Silvestre Suh, Country Director, and Frank Chikhata, Programme Manager, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Assistive Technologies and Oxygen Access, CHAI Sierra Leone; and Musa Soko, Executive Coordinator of YPPD for their leadership in bringing partners together around advocacy priorities as part of the CAAP initiative.  

The Child Survival Action initiative welcomes partners from all sectors, including health, WASH, nutrition/agriculture, clean air, safe and secure environment, child protection, education, and social welfare. To join CSA, send an email to childsurvivalaction2030@gmail.com.