german
frenchIn-school health testing programme Diébougou
Dr. Ulrich Schum from Munich reports:
"In the outpatient clinic of the eye-station in the center for disabled people PRAH in the diocese Diébougou in the south of Sahel in Burkina Faso we also have to examine even children and youths with impaired visions quite often. Besides not corrected visual defects the diagnosis mostly was vitamin A deficiency. Lack of this vitamin can also lead to irreversible damages to the eyes (cornea, optic nerve, retina), especially in the development stage of children.
But also various other diseases of the body are caused by lack of vitamin A, which is highly representative for the Sahelzone, as the cultivation of vitamin A containing fruits and vegetables is not possible in sufficient amounts.
To detect vitamin A deficiency at the eye at an early stage we started a school examination programme at primary schools in 2004. Thereby all second-graders are examined.
The examination is based on three pillars:
- eye examination (slit lamp microscope, eye seal, examination of acuity)
- vitamin A-prophylaxis
- information and sensitization
Relating to examinations at schools our mobile ambulance car is an essential help for us. Children with visual defects, acute or chronic eye disorders as well as undetermined eye problems are assigned to the eye-station.
Following the examination ALL children of the school receive vitamin A-capsules with a dosage of 200,000 units which more or less corresponds to the annually demand of vitamin A that can be stored in the liver. After taking the vitamin A the school kids, teachers and social workers of the schools get an additional lecture regarding sensitization of the vitamin A-problem.
Until now 9,500 school kids of ll primary schools in Diébougou could be examined within the framework of this programme and get their vitamin A. Since 2009 there exists governmental aid through the provision of a governmental eye-nurse from the hospital Diébougou.
The government asked for the programme being extended to the province Bougouriba. We could promise help."
Your donation will be asked under the
Password: BF 05 Diébougou (Schuluntersuchungen - School examination)
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For further information on activity of "Freundeskreis Wiesbaden":
www.arbc.de/africa