With 500 days remaining for countries to meet their Millennium Development Goals, it is worth noting that Ethiopia achieved its MDG goal of reducing the deaths of children under the age of 5 two years ahead of schedule. Ethiopia’s focus is now on saving newborns and their mothers. At the heart of Ethiopia’s success are more 38,000 Health Extension Workers with strong support from community volunteers to reach mothers and children at their homes.
In 2013, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health launched a bold initiative to manage sick newborns at the community level when referral to a hospital is not possible. This video highlights the challenges and life-saving opportunities of this community-based program in the words of the health care workers and volunteers implementing the program.