By: Jessica Stuart
Last week, I filmed the launch of an NTD treatment program in Recife, Brazil with the Global Network. Recife is Brazil’s fourth largest city with 1.5 million people, but one million of those people live in poverty. Brazil has made incredible progress fighting neglected tropical diseases in many areas, but the poorest of the poor are still at risk for NTDs like Lymphatic Filariasis (LF), leprosy and intestinal worms. As the country grows into a world superpower, cities like Recife are working with partners like the Global Network, PAHO, and Miss Universe to help eliminate the unnecessary pain and suffering caused by NTDs.
Current Miss Brazil Debora Lyra and former Miss Brazil and BAND TV presenter Renata Fan joined the fight last week with a very special visit to the Jose Cordeiro School in Cohab, Recife.
The children were curious about our visit, and when we told them that Miss Brazil was coming, they were excited. They had so many questions. Why is this happening at their school? Why are they special? Why now?
The school is part of an important outreach effort taking place. Teachers are working to educate the children about NTDs. Most of all, they are there to let the children know that these diseases are PREVENTABLE. And elimination is possible, especially when you start with a child. If you can teach a child, a child can bring the knowledge home to a family.
» Read more: New NTD treatment program launches with some help from Miss Brazil
Give me a sample, wash your hands, and take this pill.
March 25th, 2011By: Valerie Fitton-Kane
When you go to the doctor for a check-up, do you go just to get your blood pressure checked? Probably not. More than likely, your doctor checks your blood pressure, listens to your heart, takes a blood sample, and asks you lots of questions about your physical and mental symptoms. You talk to him or her about that funny rash you had last week, and you ask for a refill on your birth control or allergy medication. This is integrated healthcare. Our doctors never just test for or treat one disease when they see you. They test you for anything and everything … and they cover off contraception and other preventative care while they’re at it.
Meanwhile, our public health experts and government officials are providing all sorts of services that, while we don’t often think of them in terms of health, they do help to keep us healthy. For example, they ensure clean, uncontaminated water comes out of your kitchen faucet every morning. And they’re helping to drill it into your head that you need to wash your hands when you finish in the bathroom … and darn it, you better wash them correctly.
In developing countries, there aren’t always doctors and nurses, public health experts, or strong governments to provide all of these services. Quite often, there are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that specialize in delivering a few key services such as the treatment of eye diseases or the building of wells to provide clean water. Some organizations, such as CARE or Save the Children, have expanded to provide a range of different services, but quite often it takes many government and non-government groups with various specialties to deliver all the services that you and I are used to. And even then, service delivery is often pretty uneven because most of the organizations that deliver these services have to ask for donations from people like us in order to pay for the work they do.
» Read more: Give me a sample, wash your hands, and take this pill.
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Posted in Commentary, healthcare, NGOs, NTDs
Tags: education Global Health Lymphatic Filariasis NTDs