With the mission of RHCI including improved health for young children, the time is now to place a greater focus and funding on this group of vulnerable individuals in Tikonko Chiefdom. In Sierra Leone, one in eight children do not live to age five and malaria is the number one cause of death in young children.
In the spring strategic planning meeting, the Board approved the added objective of the children’s health program with a focus on malnutrition, malaria and other infections, and full immunizations. Over the summer, with the assistance of summer intern Thao Hoang, research and plans for this endeavor were made.
Plans include:
- Establishing a relationship with the Bo Rotary Children’s Hospital as the primary referral site for critically ill children
- Malnutrition program using the Positive Deviance Hearth approach with a plan to pilot it in two villages before expanding
- Strengthen malaria prevention and treatment by working with the local clinics and community health workers to make care more accessible
- Immunizations: improve access through our motorbike outreach partnering with the government programs
- Continue our Outreach Motorbike clinics on Fridays which serve primarily children with Acute Respiratory Infections and Malaria.
Further information to follow as this program advances.
