It’s time for our annual health survey! As part of our monitoring and evaluation process, this involves carefully constructing a questionnaire and then undertaking a thorough medical exam of our own children and then those of similar children in the community (who do not access our programmes).
This year we had help from some medical students and staff from JOY Hospice – the clinic we often use when our children fall sick and it is beyond what our small sickbay can manage.
With administrative and organisational help from our own staff, every single child at Child of Hope was weighed, had their height recorded, had their bodies thoroughly examined for wounds, parasites, vision/hearing problems – frankly anything that might give clues to their physical well-being. We also ensured they had their termly de-worming treatment at the same time.
After two days of line-upon-line of over 400 children, the survey team bravely took up their clipboards, stethoscopes, de-wormers, chairs (and umbrellas to keep the sun off!) and went out into the community. The welfare team went ahead to organise prospective subjects by talking with parents and community members which meant that there was a good crowd of kids and parents/guardians ready and waiting for when the medics got there.
Of course, doing medical examinations in the community takes a bit longer that the school and over the two-day period they managed around 300 children.
We are still analysing the figures but we are pleased to see that the various interventions we organise at Child of Hope are still making a difference and improving the health of our children in comparison to their counterparts in the community. The full report will be on our website shortly.