[Global child health--interventions that work].
BACKGROUND
Over the last decades, better drinking water and hygiene, improved nutrition and vaccines and antibiotics have greatly reduced child mortality and morbidity. Still, 11 million children under the age of five die every year, many of them from diseases that could have been prevented or treated, given existing knowledge and technology.


METHODS
On the basis of a review of recent literature, this paper discusses current strategies to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality.


RESULTS
Sufficient knowledge and technology exist to further improve the health of the worlds' children. Poverty and its consequences--weak implementation and organisation of health services--is a major obstacle.


CONCLUSIONS
In order to improve health services in developing countries, additional resources are needed. There is also a need for better quality of service. This will require increased efforts in the field of health policy and systems research.
Wathne
K O
KO
Barnemedisinsk avdeling Ullevål sykehus 0407 Oslo. karl-olaf.wathne@ulleval.no
Bøhler
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D011203:Poverty; D014611:Vaccination; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D014871:Water Microbiology