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visits for the newborn child: a strategy to improve survival WHO/UNICEF JOINt StatEmENt 2Every year, about 3.7 million babies die in the first four weeks of life (2004 estimates). Most of these newborns are born in developing countries and most die at home. Up to two-thirds of these deaths can be prevented if mothers and newborns receive known, effective interventions (1). A strategy that promotes universal access to antenatal care, skilled birth attendance and early postnatal care will contribute to sustained reduction in maternal and neonatal mortality. While both mothers and newborns need care during the period after birth, this statement focuses on the care of the newborn child, and the evidence for the same (2). * Studies have shown that home-based newborn care interventions can prevent 30–60 % of newborn deaths in high mortality settings under controlled conditions (3–7). Therefore, WHO and UNICEF now recommend home visits in the baby’s first week of life to improve newborn survival. * This statement focuses on the care of the newborn child. Newborn child is defined in this document as a child less than four weeks of age. Care of the mother is addressed in other WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA documents. Nearly 40 % of all under-five child deaths occur in the first 28 days of life (the neonatal or newborn period). Just three causes – infections, asphyxia, and preterm birth – together account for nearly 80 % of these deaths (8) (Figure 1). Additionally, a baby born with low birth weight, particularly if preterm, is at much greater risk of dying or getting sick than other newborns. The core principle underlying maternal, newborn and child health programmes should be the “continuum of care”. This term has two meanings – a continuum in the lifecycle from adolescence and before pregnancy, pregnancy