Report from the Field: Zambia Clinic May 2013
The biannual clinics provide a basic medical check-up, including:
- Malaria testing and treatment
- Deworming medication – Providing this deworming treatment has been identified as one of the most reliable ways to help increase school attendance (by up to 7.5% from providing deworming treatment alone)
- Treatment for diarrhea and abdominal pains due to contaminated drinking water
- Treatment for upper respiratory tract infections (coughing, sneezing, headache)
Dental Hygiene
This clinic will include an exciting new focus on dental sanitation and cavity prevention. Besides toothbrushes they get to take home, each child will receive a toothbrush to be kept at school and used after the meal program each day. During the last clinic that Spark supported in January 2013, one of the biggest areas of need that was discovered was early dental care and daily brushing for children in grades 1-4, in order to prevent the high levels of tooth decay and cavities found in their slightly older classmates.
An additional new development for this year’s clinic – on Friday, May 24th, the North Park team and a local teacher & nurse committee will host a nutrition and cooking training. They will include basic nutrition education along with a corresponding cooking training to help demonstrate the concepts introduced. This program will target a cohort of 50 mothers who have been identified as community leaders. Each woman will receive a food package to incentive participation and learning.
Stay tuned to the blog for more updates on the impact of the clinic!
