Summits - SBCC and C4D
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Summits - SBCC and C4D
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Integrated interventions to reduce neonatal mortality in a tribal area of South Gujarat

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Desai, L., P. Shah, et al. (2005). "Integrated interventions to reduce neonatal mortality in a tribal area of South Gujarat." Journal of Neonatology 19(1): 21-29.

Background: SEWA Rural (SR), a voluntary development organization made an intensive effort to reduce neonatal mortality rate while managing a formal Primary Health Center (pop. 39,000) in a rural, poor and tribal area of south Gujarat during 1998-1999. The Infant and neonatal mortality rates have remained stagnant for almost a decade all over including at Jhagadia PHC managed by SEWA Rural.

Objective: This paper focuses the impact of an integrated health model and approach that SEWA Rural used to reduce neonatal deaths during the 18 month period. As two thirds of the deliveries were still taking place at home, efforts were made to provide home based essential care to all the newborns at birth as well as to identify and provide necessary support and treatment to sick newborns through ensuring frequent follow up visits during neonatal period and managing timely referral at SEWA Rural's well equipped base hospital when required. Special focus was given to babies born with low birth weight. Efforts were also made towards building community awareness and involvement of family members. The village level cadres of Traditional Birth Attendants and Anganwadi Workers played a crucial role in this initiative.

Results: The infant mortality rate was brought down to 41 from 64, while there was a substantial reduction in neonatal mortality rate which came down to 29 from 45 during the project period (July 1998 to Dec. 1999) which was made possible because of integrated interventions and focused attention. This has proved that neonatal deaths particularly due to infection and low birth weight can be prevented by timely identification and proper management at the home level.