Sight and Life Magazine 1/2011

SIGHT AND LIFE | VOL. 25 (1) | 2011 REPORT FROM KATHMANDU 7575table 1: IDA in the first health check camptable 2: IDA in the second health check campDescription No. examined IDA detected %Description No. examined IDA detected %Pregnant women 64 27 42.2Nursing mothers 52 17 32.7Adolescent girls 80 24 30.0Pregnant women 57 11 19.3Nursing mothers 48 9 18.8Adolescent girls 86 16 18.6Overall objectiveTo create awareness of the consequences of micronutrient deficiencies,with a special focus on iron deficiency anemia amongpregnant and lactating mothers and adolescent girls of reproductiveage working as mine and stone quarry workers.Specific objectives> Organize one batch of peer educator training for 25 adolescentgirls at different mining and stone quarrying work sites.> Identify, keep records of and treat pregnant women, lactatingmothers, and adolescent girls of reproductive age with IDA.> Raise awareness of the need for and importance of iron supplementationfor pregnant women, lactating mothers, andadolescent girls of reproductive age.> Raise awareness among pregnant women of the importance ofiron supplementation during pregnancy.> Motivate pregnant women to take iron-coated tablets regularlyduring pregnancy.> Create awareness among pregnant women, lactating mothers,and adolescent girls of reproductive age about the importanceof daily, sufficient consumption of foods containing vitamin Aand iron and the importance of vitamin C rich food to increasedietary iron absorption.The activity was implemented at 10 different locations in Kavrepalanchokdistrict, 46 km from central Kathmandu, the Nepalesecapital. The majority of people in the project areas are from specialethnic, marginalized, socio-economically poor and underprivilegedgroups. Three hundred and twenty-four families, or2,231 people, were covered of whom 1,530 were mine and stonequarry workers and the remaining 701 from a village near thework site.AchievementTwo meetings were conducted with those in charge of healthposts, female community health volunteers (FCHVs), socialworkers, and NGO representatives in program areas.Two general health check-up camps were held at the beginningand end of the 10-month period for all quarry and mineworkers’ family members and people from the community, witha special focus on pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescentgirls. Health check-up camps to detect IDA among thetarget groups were organized at the work place at 10 sites tomake them accessible and save workers’ time, so that they couldreturn to work quickly.The heart of the program was to identify and train adolescentgirls from among the quarry and mine workers and developthem as motivators to early identify people with IDA and referthem to nearby health care units for treatment, followed bynutritional education. The prevalence of IDA is summarized inTables 1 and 2.Nutrition educationAfter the selection process, three-day nutrition orientation trainingwas organized. It focused on the magnitude of the problem,the target group, nutrition deficiency disorders, early identificationof problems, selection and preparation of foods, timely useof available health care units, etc.Health check-ups are held at the beginning and end ofa 10-month period for all quarry- and mine-workers’ familymembers and people from the community⇢