 'Give Children a Chance' is a health project implemented by ADRA Liberia. Specifically, the project is being implemented in Foya and Kolahun Districts, Lofa County. The overall objective of the project is to reduce maternal child mortality. The nine month project, which started on the 1st of March ends the 30th of November, 2008, and expects to benefit 163 communities of thirty-nine thousand (39,000) people in the two districts mentioned above. Indeed, this worthy project is funded by the kind people of Denmark.
The deliverables of the project are in five categories namely:
- Construction of new clinics
- Renovation of existing clinics and supplies
- Training
- Long lasting insecticide treatment mosquito nets (LLITMN) distribution
- Maternity Kit distribution
- Logistic Support to the Clinics
A. |
Construction of New Clinics: |
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Four (4) Maternal Child Health Clinics were constructed and well furnished in four communities of the two aforesaid districts in Lofa County. The communities are Gondorlahun, Fangonda, Foya Tengia, and Porluma respectively. ADRA ensured that the construction of the clinics adhered to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOH&SW) and Ministry of Public Works (MPW) approved standards.
Each of the clinics contains three large spacious rooms and one smaller room respectively. Besides, a kitchen and two bathrooms are attached to each of the clinics. Accordingly, one of the large (spacious) rooms in each clinic will be used for Ante Natal purpose and the other two will be used for Delivery and for Post Partum. As for the smaller room, it will be used for laboratory purpose.
Furnishing the clinics is an integral part of the clinic project which ADRA cherished so much. The furniture include beds for delivery and hospitalized patients; birthing chairs for patients, chairs and tables for the clinic staff and benches for the out door patients. There is also a hygienic package. It comprises dust pan, rexoguard, hard and soft brooms, disinfectant and tissues; drinking buckets with fusel, buckets for patients, powder (klin) soap, small and medium dust bins and pillows. |
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B. |
Renovation of Existing Clinics and Supplies: |
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Four existing clinics in Porluma, Fangonda, Foya Tengia and Gondorlahun communities were renovated and were provided with some important supplies. The renovation encompassed the changing of the windows, door screens, repairing/replacing the locks on the doors, fixing the curtain bars and curtains, repairing the leakages of the roofs and painting of both the interior and exterior of the respective clinics. The supplies consist of vitamins for children and adults; clothes and toys for children; and uniforms and stationery for clinics staff. The latter (uniforms and stationery) were donated by ADRA Denmark through ADRA Liberia. The other package ADRA Liberia has for the clinics comprised mosquito nets for the beds, drinking buckets for patients and aprons to be used for delivery. |
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C. |
Training:
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In order to build the capacity of the project staff, training was carried out in the following areas: Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), repairers/ technicians for the hand pumps, and laboratory aides for the new clinics respectively.
I. Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs):
ADRA has identified one hundred seven (107) TBAs to be trained in Home Base Life Saving Skills (HBSSL) so as to adequately fulfill the goal of ‘Give Children a Chance’ health project in Lofa. The training is being conducted by an experienced team headed by the master trainer Madam Marian Kollie. During the training, each of them is given a copy of the Action Card Booklet and a TBA package.
The latter (TBA package) includes the following: one large bucket, two medium size buckets, six rolls of cotton or guise, two towels, one lapper, one plastic sheet, four bottles of alcohol, one touch light, one lantern, twelve pieces of pens, two hundred pieces of examination gloves, twelve packs of razor blade, two bottles of delta (500 ml), two aprons, cord title, ten pieces of bath soap and one soap dish. Other items within the package are scrubbing brush, three bulbs of syringes, one copy book for recording normal delivery and complication with pregnant women and new born babies and one mat. Already one hundred and seven.
District |
Total number of TBAs trained |
Clinics TBAs will relate /report to |
Number of TBAs per clinic /environment |
Communities Trained TBAs come from |
Foya |
53 |
Porluma
Foya Tengia |
27
26 |
27
17 |
Kolahun |
54 |
Gondorlahun
Fangonda |
28
26 |
12
12 |
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D. |
Long Lasting Insecticide Treatment Mosquito Nets Distribution: |
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ADRA has been distributing the long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets to pregnant women and children under the age of five. Usually, the distribution is done during the pregnant women ante natal day and during the well baby day at the clinics. During that time, awareness meetings are conducted, and sensitization exercises and the use of the nets are carried out before the nets are distributed to the beneficiaries mentioned above. |
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E. |
Maternity Kit Distribution: |
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As a token of warm welcome to planet Earth, new born babies including those from one to six months old under this project are given maternity kits. Contents of the maternity kits include: one mat, one lapper, one towel, one lantern or touch light, one soap dish, four pieces of bath soap and one delta bottle. |
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F. |
Logistical Support to the Clinics: |
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In enhancing the logistical support to the clinics, two of the four new clinics received one motorbikes Yamaha 125 each to help in their mobility and outreach programs. |
Conclusion
“Give Children a Chance” health project that is being implemented in Foya and Kolahun Districts in Lofa County is a timely intervention. It is ADRA prayer that such project is carried out in other parts of Lofa and in other counties, most especially in other regions like the South East among others who have not benefitted from such opportunities; even though, the need for such a project is outstanding.
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Adra greatly values your prayers offered on behalf of our work. We would be happy to pray for you, too. Send your prayer today.
ADRA—Liberia seeks qualified individuals for employment when such opportunities are available.
ADRA-Liberia appreciates every donation in cash and kind to facilitate its projects: giving hope to all. |
