Project Foresight Event Report 1

written by Pharm. Mope Fasakin

DATE: APRIL 25^th 2015.

                                     VENUE: SHASHA COMMUNITY TOWN HALL, IDIMU, LAGOS.

The maiden event of Project Foresight tagged ‘Project Foresight-Health kicked off by 12.15 pm on Saturday April 25^th, 2015. It was organized by the Project Foresight team-Morenike Ashade, Damilola Adeokun, Tola Akinpelu and Olamide Ashade and also drew volunteers from various disciplines and works of life. The theme of the event: '#dewormyourchildren was aimed at eliminating parasitic worms which can affect the health of growing children and lead to sickness, malnutrition and death.

With the help of our teenage volunteers, the venue was tidied and arranged, team members were assigned responsibilities and the work flow was established. Soon after, the first family for the day-a mother with three kids arrived. Thus, the maiden edition of Project Foresight began in full swing. All hands were on deck as the deworming (antihelminthics) medicines were provided to all children present between the ages of 12 months-16 years..

The attendees were seated outside the hall under a large canopy where two team members recorded the basic information of the parents and children into Project Foresight Client forms. Afterwards, the parents were directed into the hall where the height and weight of the mothers (and fathers) of the kids were measured and recorded. Proceeding further into the hall, two tables took charge of educating the parents while providing deworming medicines to their kids and also calculated the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the adults. Two other tables took the blood pressure reading for the adults, counseled and referred them to go to their hospitals where necessary. Organizers provided drinking water and disposable cups for each child and some children were encouraged to take their medicines by offering them sweets afterwards. Malnourished toddlers and older children were also given multivitamins while adults that presented with malaria symptoms were given ACT medicines after appropriate consultation.

Adults were adequately counseled on the importance of the correlation of their weight to height in an index known as the Body Mass Index and how it affects their overall health. Emphasis was laid on healthy diet, exercise and healthy lifestyle habits. Parents were educated on the need to maintain proper body, water and food hygiene for themselves and children to prevent/reduce worm infections. Parents were also counseled on how frequently the deworming medicines should be taken. All activities and drugs administered per individual were properly documented in #projectforesight forms for adults and children as required.

The project foresight team were dressed in customised #projectforesight shirts, the event was well captured by a professional photographer @lanreayilegbe who volunteered for the event in his capacity and food was served after the program. The program came to an end with group photographs at about 4.30pm.

In conclusion, the maiden edition of Project Foresight was a huge success and it can only get better. Shasha community appreciated the gesture and asked how frequently the program would hold while others wished the program was bigger and included more programs apart from "deworming" for the children. While there's always room for improvement, I must commend the composure and dutifulness of every volunteer and member of the  Project Foresight team, the cooperation of the community, the support of HealthPlus Pharmacy, Chill Pharmacy Shasha and Farenmore Pharmacy and the commitment of the project director-Pharm. Morenike Ashade to the wellbeing of the Nigerian child.