Public Health program is one of the major programs of VIN with a goal to improve basic health condition of Jitpur community people with the following objectives:
- To increase people access to quality health services at community level
- To increase people access to health, hygiene and sanitation facilities
- To improve health and hygiene practice of community people
- To provide training on basic health and first aid
Under this program, different activities were conducted in 2013, in order to develop and deliver quality medical and health care services for the community people of Jitpur. Major programs and their activities are mentioned below in detail:
School Health program (SHP)
SHP is the major component of community health program designed to ensure good health of school children. SHP was focused to improve children health by treating the illness, conducting awareness program on H & H and improving environment of schools. It had three components: Health camps, awareness programs and waste management of schools encouraging school children. It was targeted to all schools of Jitpur.
Health talks at schools
Health talks were conducted at all schools in Jitpur. It was focused on major health issues among children. VIN has found health issues among children from research and survey. Major health issues were hygiene and sanitation, diarrheal diseases, communicable and non-communicable diseases, drugs, HIV/AIDS, Mental health, Menstrual hygiene among female adolescents, Nutrition etc. Health talk was targeted to all age groups school children.
Major aim of health talk was to raise awareness and transform correct practice on health and health issues among school children. During the year 2013, it was conducted health talks at all schools in Jitpur. It was on about Nutrition, Female adolescent health and menstruation, Health orientation to Early Childhood Development (ECD) parents, health hygiene and sanitation campaigns, Hand washing and Teeth brushings campaigns, Garbage management techniques and a day garbage management campaign at all schools and Basic health and First aid training. Nutrition, garbage management and first aid trainings were conducted among secondary school children i.e. 6-10 classes. Female adolescent health and menstrual hygiene was conducted among girls from 6th to 10th grade. All other campaigns and trainings were conducted among primary school children.
Health talks were facilitated by international volunteers with local translators. Children were informed about the issues and health effects from the issues. Sessions were conducted at class with total participation of the particular class. Children were encouraged to share the problem and also asked to put questions if they have in their mind. Children had assured that they would continue the skills they had learnt from health talks in daily life.
It was found that health talks on 7 topics were conducted at schools. Nutrition, garbage management and first aid trainings were conducted among secondary school children i.e. 6-10 classes. Female adolescent health and menstrual hygiene was conducted among girls from 6th to 10th grade. Health hygiene and sanitation campaigns, Hand washing and Teeth brushings campaigns, Garbage management techniques were conducted among primary school children.
It is concluded that school children were benefited from health talks conducted at schools. Children got opportunity to participate on the sessions and discuss about the common health problems. They got chance to put questions and were able to get more information about the health issues.
On the basis of findings and conclusion it is recommended that health talks are important to aware and transform practices to school children. It should be continued in future on different health issues.
Health camps
VIN has been conducting health camps since the beginning of implementing health programs in Jitpur. Health camps under school health programme focus on school children’s health.
Major objectives of health camps were as follows:
- To check general health of the children
- To screen the oral hygiene of the children
- De worming the children
- To aware children on hygiene and sanitation
Based on this there were conducted 12 health camps at different schools, where 361 children in the age group of 4-14 were treated for various diseases. Mostly the children were suffered from gastrointestinal illnesses or respiratory diseases, such as the common cold. The children were given medicine and advised to follow with home remedies, as well as going to the health post for check-ups. In all of the schools most of the patients were girls.
Health campaigns at orphanages
There were conducted two health campaigns at two orphanages. Here the major objectives were:
- To examine the children’s health and provide them with treatment
- To aware the children on hygiene and sanitation practices
- To train the children on correct HW and TB practices
The medical team Dr.Laxmi and Dr.Emily had examined the children and provided them with medicine. In total they examined 27 children at both the Universal Social Welfare Children home, Budhanilkantha and Light for Nepal Children home. The main health problems found amongst the children were skin infections, mosquito bites, dental caries, and dental tartar, poor condition of their nails, diarrheal diseases and angular stomatitis (a sign of lack of vitamins).
The children were given toothbrushes and toothpaste, and the staffs were giving education on proper nutrition for the children. They were encouraged to vary the diet, by giving the children fresh fruits and vegetables. Another issue at the orphanages was that, there was no soap for the children to wash their hands. It is also unsure whether the orphanage will have the means to replace the toothpaste and soap when it is used up. Therefore it is needed to revisit the orphanages, to see what the effects of this training have been and what impact it has had and whether or not, the orphanage’s staffs is able to provide the kids with toothpaste and soap.
Community awareness programme
Awareness campaign on waste management
In the beginning of the year there was a relocation of the bins at Dadagaun. The move of the bins was needed because it had been found that the bin were not effective. People did not use them properly and it had actually worsened the situation . Therefore we relocated the bins at a cluster. We choose the cluster close to Dadagaun School and made sure that the bins were installed close to the homes, so that it was easily accessible. The villagers had also been instructed in, that when the bin is full that they need to take the bag out and to the hill, where they can properly dispose of the trash they have collected. We followed up on the relocation of the bins in March where we found that the bins were being used properly.
It was found that bins were useful to collect trash but still needs to work out on garbage collection system. It needs strong monitoring system.
Awareness campaign for women on reproductive health, cervical cancer and breast cancer
VIN has been implementing awareness programs on women’s health issues in Jitpur since 2009. On this context VIN has conducted awareness campaigns on reproductive health, uterine prolapsed, cervical cancer and breast cancer among women from Jitpur. The campaign was facilitated by health program coordinator and international health volunteers (Anna from US, Dr. Emily and Elizabeth). The objectives of campaign were as follows:
- To orientate women about reproductive health, uterine prolapsed, cervical cancer and breast cancer
- To display the cases of uterine prolapsed, cervical cancer and breast cancer
- To motivate women to practice prevention of uterine prolapsed and cervical cancer and teach them Self breast examination to detect breast cancer in early stages
The campaigns were conducted in different places:Galchi (Unit-7), Kot (Unit-5) and Athmile (unit-8) and Jitpurphedi, Lamichanegaun, Pachmane (top of the hill), Ramghat and Pachmane (at the road side) and at Chogaun. Altogether the campaigns included 198 women in the ages of 23-65.
The campaign discussed different topics relating to women’s reproductive health, female reproductive organs, physiology of menstruation and conception, basic concepts of uterine prolapsed, facts related with Nepal, causes, symptoms, complications, different aspects of uterine prolapsed, difficulties in society, better ways of prevention, cervical cancer, signs and symptoms of cervical cancer, stages of cervical cancer, examination and method of prevention. Women were taught pelvic floor exercises. Similarly women were taught self-breast examination to detect breast cancer in an early stage.
