Mothers and their children wait patiently for food at the Kaolack center (CH)
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Other needs expressed by the Wellness Program are:
- To reopen the children's feeding centers in the villages. These are clearly needed, as all of the children the medical team saw were anemic and between 3 and 4 years growth retarded. These centers provide education for mothers in addition to providing food for the children. Four of these centers were closed due to lack of funds.
- Additional training for the Wellness Program volunteer staff and translators. Since our 2005 trip, two of the volunteer staff have enrolled in a 2-year nursing certificate program available in Dakar. This will greatly enhance the ability of the Wellness Program to follow-up on a regular basis with the patients that they see. More of the Wellness Program staff have the ability and the desire to take on these roles and the need is there. The cost is reasonable and the benefit would be substantial in terms of enhancing the health of the people in these communities.
- Supplying the Wellness Program with vitamins and non-prescription drugs is vital. A child diagnosed as anemic needs many months of vitamins to thrive. Our near-term concerns are to find affordable means to transport these materials from the USA into Senegal.
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