Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS)
The Problem
Despite reductions over the past two decades, childhood mortality remains high, particularly in low income settings. Many of these deaths are sudden and seem inexplicable. The basic question of “why are our children dying at such a high rate?” echoes throughout Sierra Leone and many other countries worldwide.
WHI's Solution
WHI is helping implement the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) — a multi-country, long-term surveillance program targeted at understanding cause of death in children under five. In partnership with Emory University, the Gates Foundation, and Center for Disease Control, Bombali Shebora Chiefdom in Sierra Leone was selected as the latest site. WHI’s medical surveillance role includes organizing a reporting structure, collecting and recording all data, ongoing training of community and facility reporters, conducting verbal autopsies, reviewing all clinical records for data, and developing an improved data record collection.
The Impact
CHAMPS aims to help families, communities, governments, and funders to understand the cause of stillbirths and childhood deaths. The project will bring change to public health action and save many lives by collecting essential data about the death of every child under the age of 5 in Bombali Shebora chiefdom.