Working toward decreasing infant mortality in developing countries through change in the medical curriculum

The major determinants of infant mortality in underdeveloped countries were identified through a literature review covering international research produced over the last 10 years and the Pakistan Demographic Health Survey 2006-07. An interdisciplinary maternal and child health module team was created by the Medical Education Department at Shifa College of Medicine. The curriculum was developed based on the role of identified determinants in infant and maternal mortality. It was delivered by an integrated team without any subject boundaries. Students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes were assessed by multiple modalities and the module itself by student feedback using questionnaires and focus group discussions.Assessment and feedback demonstrated that the students had developed a thorough understanding of the complexity of factors that contribute to infant mortality. Students also demonstrated knowledge and skill in counseling, antenatal care, and care of newborns and infants.A carefully designed integrated curriculum can help sensitize undergraduate medical students and equip them to identify and address complex issues related to maternal and infant mortality in underdeveloped countries.According to current statistics, of the 8.8 million children who die each year, 37% die of neonatal causes. Another 38% die of easily preventable and treatable causes such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and measles. Globally, more than 24,000 children die every day and every minute one woman dies in childbirth [1].Pakistan is a developing country with a population of approximately 160 million and is one of the major contributors to the above statistics [2]. In 1990, Pakistan had an infant mortality rate (IMR) of 100 and a child mortality rate (CMR) of 130 per 1000 live births. Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) during that period was 550/100,000. Currently, Pakistan has an IMR of 78 and CMR of 94 [3]. Pakistan's Millennium Development Goals (MDG) aspire to decrease IMR and CMR to 40 and