Universal Salt Iodization (USI) - FTP Directory Listing

www.unsystem.org/scn 73vented the “WABA crawl”, a kind of Caribbean calypso dance, led of course by the ebullient, glamorous, eversmiling Patrice. The “crawl” is still performed at WABA celebrations.I have some rich and happy memories of times spent with Pat in the years following Dick’s untimely death.One was at the International Congress of Nutrition in Adelaide, Australia in 1993. Patrice participated activelyin protests against Nestle funding for the Congress. She also helped lead an evening candle lit vigil outsidethe Congress, and spoke eloquently and emotionally about the immorality, and conflict of interest, in a Congressof Nutrition accepting financial support from manufacturers of breastmilk substitutes.Five years later in Montreal in Canada, with WABA allies and young people from McGill and Montreal Universities,Pat was at the center of similar protests opposed to funding of the IUNS Congress by corporationswhich manufacture breastmilk substitutes. But, also at scientific sessions, Patrice Jelliffe, the professional,was raising important questions and making very constructive comments and was discussing with young researchersthe possibility of publishing their work in “her” Journal of Tropical Pediatrics.I believe that Pat’s six years in Uganda with Dick were the happiest and most productive phase of her life. Itwas an extraordinarily active period for both of them, and their work was totally intertwined. While in Ugandathey conducted numerous field surveys and investigations. They collaborated incredibly well together, oftenwith small teams of workers, and frequently in remote and difficult areas. They examined children, theytreated all comers, and they learnt not only about nutritional status and disease, but also about local culturalfactors which influenced the malnutrition and disease they encountered. This, influenced largely by Pat’s sociologicalinterests, was pioneering medical anthropology and action research. It is an early example of combiningethnographic and biological investigations, leading to community action. During their years in Ugandatheir writing seemed to reach incredible proportions, almost all joint publications, with numerous books, bookchapters and papers.The Jelliffes left Makerere University in Uganda in 1966 when Dick was appointed by WHO and FAO to becomethe founding Director of the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute on the Mona campus of the Universityof the West Indies in Jamaica. In 1972 they made their last move to Los Angeles when Dick became theProfessor of Public Health and Pediatrics, and Pat was appointed Lecturer and Researcher in the UCLASchool of Public Health. With teams of workers and graduate students the Jelliffes conducted abbreviatednutrition surveys in numerous developing countries from their base at UCLA. These abbreviated surveysbroke new ground in providing useful information quickly and at relatively low cost. The Jelliffes believed that“the purpose of nutritional assessment should be appropriate action to attempt nutritional improvement”.Pat was a pioneer in child health, infant feeding and medical anthropology. She always presented the “humantouch” to what ever work was being done. Where ever she went she radiated wisdom, warmth and willingnessto help young professionals, young mothers and young children.Michael C. LathamANNOUNCEMENT:World Breastfeeding Week 2008: Mother Support: Going for the GoldBreastfeeding results from a reproductive health continuum for the mother to the child with no beginning or end,from generation to generation. When a practice is disrupted, it must be restored. However, restoration of thebreastfeeding culture demands more resources and mobilization.In conjunction with the Olympics next August, WBW 2008 calls for greater support for mothers in achieving thegold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementaryfoods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond.As every country sends its best athletes to compete at these global games, WABA maintains that it is important toremind ourselves that, in a similar fashion, a healthy young athlete can only emerge from a healthy start on life.Read the full announcement at http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/pdf/WBW2008Announcement.pdf and stay updatedwith ideas for action, activities, downloadable materials, reports etc at www.worldbreastfeedingweek.orgback to contents SCN NEWS # 35