CHI priorities

Child Health International's priorities are to promote low technology solutions sustainable in countries less fortunate than our own.

We recognise that the type of drugs and enzyme treatment commonly used in the UK are often unaffordable to the child’s family and not available from local health services. Part of CHI’s role is to work with governments, local administrations and pharmaceutical companies to make medication more accessible and affordable.

However, every effort is also made to identify alternative or complementary approaches such as advice on diet, based on locally-available products, and physiotherapy administered by parents. Parental understanding of what can be achieved and how, especially in the way of diet and the administration of hands-on physiotherapy, can make huge improvements in care.

By working in these most cost effective areas we ensure that the advances are sustainable by our partner countries. This is shown in the diagram above by our president, Dr Chris Rolles.

The creation of self help groups to share experiences and offer mutual support is most important for what can be a lonely, energy-sapping and protracted process in the absence of any other support and help. CHI is active in setting up and supporting such groups.

See our methodology page for more details on how we set up projects to meet these priorities. See our map and timeline page for a summary of places we have worked and are working.

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