Implementation of the recommendations

11 a distribution network to all medical libraries or individuals and through the non- proit Teaching-Aids at Low Cost TALC website. 1 he Pocket Book will be introduced in medical and paramedical training institutions through national societies and in collaboration with the International Paediatric Association IPA. WHO will also continue collaborating with various child health groups that have been instrumental in dissemination, implementation, and evaluation of the Pocket Book, including: n International Child Health Review Collaboration ICHRC, a database of the evidence-base for the Pocket Book recommendations http:www.ichrc.org . n Centre for International Child health, a WHO Collaborating Centre in Melbourne, Australia www.rch.org.aucich . n National and regional networks whose missions are to improve the quality of care for children in hospitals, like the Kenya Medical Research Institute KEMRI http:www.idoc-africa.org . n Collaboration with various partners like the International Paediatric Association IPA who are collaborating with WHO on improving quality of care through their regional and national societies. n Collaboration with child health specialists at national, regional, and international levels to support national adaptation and implementation of the Pocket Book as part of the process of improving quality of care. n Collaboration with medical students through national, regional, and international societies. Evaluation of the guidelines will continue to be undertaken through periodic quality of care assessments in hospitals and through country reviews undertaken by the department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health using the quality of care framework and the hospital assessment tools mentioned above.

3.3 National adaptation and implementation

hese recommendations have been developed mainly to provide guidance in the updating and development of standard paediatric treatment guidelines at national level in resource-limited settings. It is expected that each country will adapt these recommendations to suit their context in consideration of the necessary resources required for implementation. his will be facilitated by updating the current Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children, which countries may adapt in developing national standards of care. Countries may already have various paediatric guidelines in the form of national treatment guidelines or hospital case management protocols. hese guidelines would have to be reviewed and compared against the WHO Pocket Book for standards of care. It is recognized that implementation of some of the recommendations may be 1 Teaching-Aids at Low Cost may be obtained at http:www.talcuk.orgbooksnewborn-and-child- health-b.htm . Accessed on 29 August 2011. 12 challenging as they require updating national essential medicine lists and building consensus at national level. Establishing national standards for hospital care for children is critical in improving quality of care and is a major component of the quality improvement process. Countries will be encouraged to set up national technical working groups to support the national adaptation process with the involvement of all stakeholders. he standards will then be adapted and endorsed by stakeholders, locally translated as required, and disseminated to all hospitals in the country. In most cases, it may require orientation of the health workers on the new case management protocols as part of the quality of care improvement process.