These damaging effects of poverty on child health can be reduced by well designed policies. Various options have been reviewed by some of us. 22 Table 1 summarises approaches used in different countries to improve health inputs and services in poor populations, with emphasis on those related to child health. Several different—and generally complementary—approaches are possible. Improvement of knowledge and changing of behaviour among poor mothers has been achieved in many settings, in areas as diverse as handwashing for diarrhoea prevention and nutrition counselling. Social marketing entails commercial-sector marketing approaches being adapted for a public-health gain, and has been effective for various items, including provision of soap and mosquito nets. Microcredit—programmes that provide small loans to poor.
