OVERCOMING DISTANCE TO IMPROVE CHILD HEALTH

Amref Health Africa mobilises and connects the key people involved in promoting and improving child health – teachers and healthcare workers, parents, extended family and the community.

Amref teams provided free access to diagnostic and medical services to children in elementary schools in remote Senegal. It deployed medical teams, each comprising a doctor, ophthalmologist, dentist, and nurse.  The consultations were open to all children living locally, whether they attended school or not. As a direct result of these screenings, children were referred to specialists and received free follow-up care during mobile surgical camps and specialist mini-camps organised by Amref, where they were treated by dedicated surgeons and specialists from Dakar.

The programme was rolled out in 60 primary schools and 20 health centres in Kolda and Sédhiou.

During the programme, health care professionals working in health centers were trained in pre- and post-operative care, as well as in maternal and infant health. Teachers, parents, and community health workers were also trained in children’s and reproductive health, hygiene and nutrition.