In China, the available healthcare services for mothers and children in rural and urban areas can differ significantly. Moreover, the demand in rural areas for better pediatric care and medical professionals with experience in the integrated management of children’s illnesses has greatly increased. In July 2015, to address this need, we announced a new social contribution initiative in the rural areas of Yunnan Province, which has one of the highest stunting rates in China. A kickoff ceremony was held thereafter. We will provide support to help improve the health of mothers and children by developing the capacity building of medical professionals in the rural areas through additional training and promoting health education in the community. This project is being advanced together with International NGO Plan and local government.
Photo commemorating the kickoff ceremony taken with attendees
Cherry tree saplings to be planted at community centers in all six townships
Different from mobile healthcare field clinic activities currently being conducted in India and Africa, through this project, we support to establish community centers in rural villages staffed by local volunteers and medical professionals (village doctors) in six townships in Guangnan County of Yunnan Province. These centers will serve as bases for collecting and sharing information regarding child and maternal health and nutrition management and providing opportunities for mutual learning. This project is also holding a series of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness strategy※ training sessions to ensure that the local medical professionals are able to identify signs of illnesses in children at an early age and take the necessary steps to address these illnesses.
First IMCI training held after kickoff ceremony and attended by 17 people
Clinical training conducted as part of July 2015 training through cooperation with mother and child healthcare center of Kunming City
Training for volunteers operating community center
Volunteers operating community center
This project will be conducted over a five-year period, during which it will increase the number of medical professionals that have undergone training in Guangnan County. We hope that these professionals will provide guidance for facilitating health management for children in rural villages and help realize smooth medical coordination in Guangnan County. In the end, we aim to have noteworthy examples of children’s health improvement from within the region used as models for healthcare initiatives in other regions.
※A strategy adopting a standardized integrated management guideline for treating childhood illnesses compiled by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. The purpose of this strategy is to guide training using common materials to promote the appropriate treatment and management of childhood illnesses and to facilitate the creation of healthcare systems for supporting these efforts.
(Source: Japan Association for International Health)
Photo:Plan International