Health

Health Care

Staff and volunteer health workers bring health care directly to the people and provide routine and emergency medical and dental care, maternity and midwifery care, first aid, and triage care for those patients that need surgery and hospitalization. Parasite control has also improved the basic health of the villagers. Over the past 30 years, infant mortality has dropped dramatically.

Volunteer health workers receive training in basic health care. They are given a backpack that includes basic health care supplies such as thermometer, blood pressure cuff, de-worming and other medicines. The volunteers visit village households regularly to answer questions and identify serious medical conditions.

A primary health care goal is wellness education including teaching the importance of good nutrition and sanitation methods such as boiling drinking water. This is especially crucial during times of flooding to avoid life-threatening cholera and other water-borne diseases.