Malnutrition is a significant threat to human health. The World Health Organization reports that undernutrition contributes to about one third of all child deaths, while overweight and obesity are contributing to a rise in chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
To battle malnutrition and its subsequent health complications in children, health workers seek to promote healthy growth, ensuring children receive appropriate nutrition to achieve their full potential for growth and development. Health workers and parents may use many interventions when a child is not reaching important growth benchmarks. But before they can make those interventions, they must understand what benchmarks the child should be reaching. That is why health workers need access to information and tools to monitor and document children’s growth.
When Leila Srour, MD, MPH, DTM&H traveled to Sukadana, Indonesia to work with the staff of the ASRI Clinic, she quickly noted a need for monitoring and documentation tools that would allow staff members to track the development and growth of their young patients. Dr. Srour presented the WHO growth standards to ASRI staff. She reported to HVO following her assignment, “Growth monitoring was not being done, so this was introduced, and I hope will continue.”
The skills and tools that Dr. Srour introduced quickly took root at the ASRI clinic. Dr. Vina Wang, former head of the ASRI clinic, reported that HVO volunteer work brought “better documentation.” Dr. Wang went on to report, “… we put a [growth] chart in every pediatric patient’s medical record and fill the chart in every visit. It helps us to early diagnose pediatric patients with growth problem/disorder and treat them.”
In just one month, Dr. Srour was able to make a significant contribution to ASRI clinic staff knowledge, and the staff, in turn, will bring better care to the children of Sukadana. You, too, can contribute to improvements and access to care for children around the world. Visit our pediatrics program page to find where in the world you can volunteer.
Not a health worker? You can still make a difference! Make a gift or help spread the word about HVO’s mission to improve global health by empowering health workers with education, training and professional opportunity.
Photo credit: Bryan Watt (www.bryanwatt.com)