Particular emphasis is given to training in the management of acute respiratory infections WHO supports courses for workers in first-level health facilities and referral hospitals on standard case management, and distributes training and technical materials. More than 190 000 health managers, doctors, nurses and community health workers in over 60 countries have been trained so far. WHO is involved in numerous studies on acute respiratory infections in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Activities for better nutrition are promoted in 62 countries, mostly in collaboration with FAO and UNICEF. A global database on child growth was established and more than 90 countries are receiving technical and financial support to give effect to the International Code of Marketing of Breast milk Substitutes. The new WHO/UNICEF ‘baby-friendly hospital initiative‘ has proved hugely successful in encouraging proper infant feeding practices, starting at birth. It has already been implemented in two-thirds of African countries. A number of countries have introduced national nutrition policies with WHO support.
A wide range of WHO programmes focus on the needs of adolescents in such fields as nutrition, mental health, sexuality, disease and injury prevention, and substance abuse. A joint UNICEF/WHO/UNFPA policy statement on the reproductive health of adolescents was disseminated. WHO supported the formulation of policies on adolescent health in 20 countries.