Project Foresight Event Report 2

Written by Pharm. Mope Fasakin

This edition of #Projectforesight kicked off with excitement in Idimu community of Lagos State on Saturday the 18th of July, 2015. Residents of this community, some of whom were also beneficiaries at the last event in Shasha were excited and expectant. The project team arrived enthusiastic in their spanking blue uniforms with the same goal - improving lives through preventive care.

The program kicked off at 9:30am witnessing massive attendance. It was a well-publicized outdoor event and drew much crowd from the community. Anthelmintics (deworming medicines) were administered to all children between the ages of 1-16years who had not taken any form of such drugs in the last three months. The drugs were administered by direct observation and this was made possible by the provision of portable water and disposable cups for the children. 

Tablets were administered to older children who could swallow while the younger kids had suspensions. As a means of motivation and reward, the little children also got sweets after taking their medicines. This gesture led to enthusiastic participation of more children and generated healthy competition among siblings.

Parents and children left the program armed with health education on the importance of food hygiene, hand washing, and the need for periodic deworming. In addition, malnourished children were given multivitamins and their mothers were counseled on how to improve on nutrition.

The adults in attendance were not left out, as they received free health checks for body mass index and blood pressures etc. Parents were also educated on the need to maintain a normal healthy weight (which is 18.5 to 25 on the BMI scale), a feat which could be made possible by healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, and regular exercise. Adults who were overweight or obese were advised to reduce or eliminate alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, junk food, high fat meals and soda drinks. Also, people were either counseled or advised to urgently go to the hospital when their health check gave concerning results. All present, were advised to consume more fruits and exercise more and to know that exercise is not reserved for the overweight only, as is the common belief. Though some adults wished they could also benefit from the free anthelmintic therapy, they were instead encouraged to purchase theirs at any nearby pharmacy while those adults who presented with malaria symptoms were treated accordingly.

 

This event recorded a 70% increase in the number of children and adults attended to compared to the last event; notwithstanding, efficiency did not lag because the team gave their best to this charitable community service. 

This event came to a close at around 3.30pm with the Project Director expressing her thanks to the various persons who contributed to the success of the day: in publicity-community mobilizing, registration desk, logistics, clinical team, and photography.

More power to the elbows of the Project Foresight team and their visionary Project Director, Pharm. Morenike Ashade