The lady health worker program in Pakistan--a commentary

Abstract

Internationally, approximately 4 million neonatal deaths occur each year, the majority within the first few days of birth in communities with inadequately designed health systems.¹ Value is defined as patient health outcomes per dollar spent.² Neonatal deaths account for an increasing proportion of child deaths.¹ Newborn survival is related to Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 for child survival and is also related to MDG 5 for maternal health as the interventions are closely linked.³ This often requires health system strengthening.^1,3