Health

A high standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human regardless of race, religion, political, economic or social condition. Nutrition and a safe environment play a vital role.

Concern aims to help reduce mortality rates and improve health in the countries where it works. We’re doing this by helping to develop sustainable health care systems and supporting public health programmes. 

Our health and nutrition policy

Concern is looking to fulfil the Millennium Development Goals and the World Health Organisation's global targets for 2020 by taking account of the following:

• Affirmation of the right to health and an adequate food supply for all
• Planning activities on sound values and ethical principles
• Development of programmes on primary health care and public health principles
• Adhering to international standards and best practices in all interventions
• Focusing on preventative measures and mitigation of disease epidemics
• Promoting equity and empowerment for better health

An alternative to traditional methods

Community Therapeutic Care is an innovative approach to managing severe malnutrition. Concern is researching this with Valid in Ethiopia, Malawi and Sudan.

It is viewed as an alternative to traditional methods of dealing with malnutrition in therapeutic feeding centres.

Maximising access and minimising risk

Research and experience on the ground indicates that traditional feeding centres during food shortages are often counter-productive as the sole mode of treating severely malnourished people.

The new concept of community therapeutic care is necessary to complement therapeutic feeding centres interventions. Community therapeutic care aims to maximise access to the affected population while also minimising risk through maintaining quality of treatment.

This shift in focus is vital if our work is to address the plight of severely malnourished people in an effective way.