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Lumos aims to reduce infant and under-five mortality at home and to prevent the abandonment of
babies and infants in institutions in two dedicated regions of Moldova. By involving all levels of gov-
ernment as well as other stakeholders, Lumos has been able to pioneer a successful model, which is
greatly appreciated by children and their families.
THE PROBLEM:
High infant mortality rates
among the poorest
Mortality rates disproportionately affect vulnerable
children from rural areas, children with disabilities,
families of lower socio-economic backgrounds, those
living in the country’s southern region, and those from
minority backgrounds, including Roma children.
There are several factors that contribute to the
severe problem of childhood mortality in Moldova:
• Elevated rates of at-home child mortality, largely
attributable to respiratory diseases.
• Reliance on out-of-date practices for childhood
illness detection and treatment.
• Over-reliance on clinical assessment and limited
appreciation for a child’s home environment.
• Only limited education provided to new parents on
infant care and identifying signs of childhood illness.
While child mortality rates of infants and children
under five have decreased significantly over the last
15 years, encouraged by the Millennium Development
Goals, the rates continue to be high compared to
other European countries.
THE DEVELOPED SOLUTION:
Inter-sector cooperation
In 2010, Lumos supported the Government of Mol-
dova to undertake an evaluation of the causes of
infant and under-five mortality at home. Based on
the results of the evaluation, Lumos assisted the
government in developing an inter-sector cooperation
mechanism between the health and social sectors,
which was approved in December 2010.
Lumos supports the government at all three admin-
istrative levels, based on a cooperation agreement
signed with the relevant ministries (central level) and
the raion (district) councils from the two pilot regions
(local level). Furthermore, Lumos has established
effective cooperation with international organizations,
such as UNICEF. The main areas of collaboration with
UNICEF are:
• Organizing an annual national conference on pre-
venting and reducing infant and under-five mortality
in the home, in partnership with the Ministry of
Health and the Ministry of Labour, Social Protection,
and Family.
• Supporting the implementation at the national level
of the inter-sectoral cooperation mechanism aimed
at preventing and reducing infant and under-five
mortality at home.
Lumos has also identified other NGOs in the field
– such as CCF Moldova, Early Intervention Centre
“Voinicel,” and Tony Hawk Foundation – and they work
together on the development of the early intervention
project for children at risk and children with disabili-
ties in the Republic of Moldova.
The inter-sector cooperation mechanism is user-cen-
ABOUT MOLDOVA:
Still the poorest country in Europe
• The Republic of Moldova is a parliamentary
republic with a President as Head of State
and a Prime Minister as Head of Govern-
ment. The current Constitution of Moldova
was adopted in 1994. A strip of Moldovan
territory on the east bank of the river Dni-
ester has been under the de facto control
of the breakaway self-proclaimed govern-
ment of Transnistria since 1990.
• Due to a decrease in industrial and agricul-
tural output following the dissolution of the
Soviet Union, the service sector has grown
to dominate Moldova’s economy and cur-
rently accounts for over 60 percent of the
nation’s gross domestic product. However,
Moldova remains the poorest country in
Europe, with a per capita gross national in-
come of just $5,223 and with 38.4 percent
of the population living in poverty. The 2015
Human Development Index ranks Moldova
at 107 among all countries.
• At the beginning of 2015, Moldova had
approximately 3.5 million inhabitants, of
which some 200,000 are children five
years or younger.