Posted: 05/05/2010

During March, the FORGE Health Service programs:
-directly impacted 14.5% of the Meheba Settlement's refugees
-provided 99 refugees with field consultations
examined 24 patients who visited FHS headquarters, including 5 children, and provided them all with informational materials
-educated 231 refugees who participated in FHS’s March educational health campaigns
-distributed approximately 1,700 condoms throughout the camp

New Programs This Month:
Throughout the month, the FORGE Heath Service team worked extensively with the Meheba Settlement’s Community Health Workers. Together, they conducted several remote and local Rapid Diagnostic Tests to determine if community members had been exposed to or infected with malaria. Many of the camp’s residents approached the Heath Services staff for counseling; every patient was properly assessed and when necessary, referred to the Meheba Clinic for additional care.

In addition, two of the FORGE Health Service staff, Mary and Given, opened a new outreach post in Road 28, an isolated portion of the refugee camp. The outreach post is a temporary clinic site where the FHS team can provide medical services during the day. Already, over 50 people have visited the post and received routine check-ups and educational materials.

What's Next:
The FHS team is organizing several important initiatives for the upcoming months. Staff members are currently working with the Ministry of Health to coordinate a Vitamin A distribution in April. Vitamin A deficiency is a serious health threat in Meheba that can even lead to blindness. Proper levels of the vitamin, however, can protect individuals against measles, a highly transmittable disease that poses particular dangers in densely populated areas such as the Maheba Camp. FHS’ upcoming campaign is intended to reach every block in the camp, thereby reducing the incidence of Vitamin A deficiency throughout the settlement.

In addition to this distribution, the FHS team is planning to continue offering an “Under Five” clinic at least once a month to better serve the young children of the settlement’s Block C. Since children under five are most at risk for developing minor illnesses and contagious diseases, FHS has determined that providing them with proper medical care is a particularly high priority.

Check back for more updates from the Meheba Settlement to learn of the FHS team’s progress on these initiatives and their other programs next month!