• About ICHG
• ICHG minutes
• History of ICHG
• David Baum International Foundation
• Executive Committee

About the International Child Health Group

The International Child Health Group is a Specialty Group of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), with membership open to everyone with a professional interest in advancing child health internationally. It was formed in the 1970s as the Tropical Paediatric Group, with paediatricians who had worked in the developing world forming the nucleus of its membership. In 1986, the Tropical Paediatric Group became the International Child Health Group. Today it boasts an international membership and continues to work in promoting all aspects of international child health, from research to advocacy.

ICHG Activities

Within the RCPCH

• ICHG has convened a scientific session at all Annual (Spring) meetings of the British Paediatric Association (BPA) and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), attracting high quality papers from all over the world. The Group has attracted a number of very eminent plenary speakers from the developing world.

• ICHG works with the RCPCH in sponsoring special evening meetings on a diverse range of topics including detention of children in South Africa, work opportunities for paediatricians overseas, sustainable development and child health, and maternal and child health.

• Holds a register of people willing to act as mentors for paediatricians giving service overseas.

Scientific Meetings

• ICHG has hosted a series of highly successful mid-year meetings on topics such as children and violence, malnutrition, tuberculosis, disability, the travelling child and perinatal care.

• In 2000, a partnership with Save the Children Fund and the Centre for International Child Health led to a conference on Poverty and Child Health with internationally renowned speakers.

Advocacy

• Advocacy activities have concerned the promotion of breastfeeding in HIV positive mothers and the impact of military actions and sanctions on the health of children in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• ICHG is represented on the Committee of the Inter-agency Group on Breastfeeding Monitoring.

• ICHG commissioned a publication on the effects of the arms trade on mothers and children in poor countries, Southall DP, O'Hare B. Empty arms: the effects of the arms trade on mothers and children. BMJ 2002:325:1457-1461.

Benefits of Joining

• Membership of an organisation which keeps you up to date with both professional and advocacy issues in International Child Health.