Inter-country technical consultation on management of diarrhoeal diseases in children in hospitals: Almaty, Kazakhstan, 16–18 May 2006

ABSTRACT

According to the guidelines on the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI), between 10% and 20% of sick children seen in primary care will need referral to first-referral level hospitals. The findings of the assessment made by the WHO Regional Office for Europe of paediatric hospital care in some first-referral level hospitals in Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation showed that, despite good access for seriously ill children, low reported hospital case fatality rates, good health networks and skilled and committed doctors caring for children, there were a number of problems that led to the inadequate management of diarrhoea in patients. Confirming the importance of improving the evidence-based management of diarrhoeal diseases in children in both inpatient and outpatient primary health care facilities, and the need to develop an agenda for change in national policies, protocols and guidelines, the WHO Regional Office for Europe decided to hold a technical consultation with representatives of the health ministries of the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, leading national experts in the area of paediatrics and epidemiology, and experts from WHO and other international organizations.