The Projahnmo-II Project in Mirzapur upazila (sub-district), Tangail
district, Bangladesh, is promot\uading care-seeking for sick newborns
through health education of families, identification and referral of
sick newborns in the community by community health workers (CHWs), and
strengthening of neo\uadnatal care in Kumudini Hospital, Mirzapur.
Data were drawn from records maintained by the CHWs, referral hospital
registers, a baseline household survey of recently-delivered women
conducted from March to June 2003, and two interim household surveys in
January and September 2005. Increases were observed in self-referral of
sick newborns for care, compliance after referral by the CHWs, and
care-seeking from qualified providers and from the Kumudini Hospital,
and decreases were observed in care-seeking from unqualified providers
in the intervention arm. An active surveillance for illness by the CHWs
in the home, education of families by them on recognition of danger
signs and counsel\uadling to seek immediate care for serious illness,
and improved linkages between the community and the hospital can
produce substantial increases in care-seeking for sick newborns