Rachitis
completed
2020
back
2020
Today a Rachitis prophylaxis definitely belongs to the medical baby supply. Possibly the mother milk doesn’t contain enough vitamin D, therefore the ba-bies get vitamin D from the doctors, mostly in the form of droplets. Shillong lies approximately on 1700 m above the sea-level. It is a very infertile area. The people live in humiliating circumstances. They have no electricity and no heating. The cold and the humidity improve the appearance of rachitis. For four years I have been travellin
I instantly recognized that we have to start this project from the beginning, otherwise we have no chance to fight this illness. Last year we talked to the inhabitants of some villages. Doctors and male nurses also took part. Together with the inhabitants we worked out the points about which they want and must be informed. So we trained about 20 Kassi women as diet advisers. Since then these women have marched from house to house and have taught people on their own. They have given instructions about hygiene, garden cultivation, the best diet for he mothers and children and AIDS but also about too early weddings.
It impresses me very much that the population is ready to collaborate. They want to learn something and accept this with pleasure. Several women have combined to Self-Help groups. Which are trained by doctors and nurses. At the moment, we have 4 big areas. Every area consists of approximately 20-40 little villages. Approximately 40-50 residents live in every village. That means a network has been built now. Self-Help groups are responsible for every area. So we have for example 17 groups in a village and every group consists of 12 women. Now more than 4,000 people are involved. I am convinced that we can move and change so-mething within some years. If the natives learn to understand what it is about, then this project will be successful.