News

Overwhelming response to healthcare help!

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July 18, 2018

What an amazing welcome the team received during their recent visit to Nayamba school - even a pair of giraffes showed up as the visitors made their way along the dirt track towards the school. “These beautiful creatures were a stunning and totally unexpected sight on our first morning in Zambia,” said Sarah Collins, who helped co-ordinate the self-funded trip to Nayamba.

The visit focused on teacher training and health care. Retired GP, Simon Raines and his wife Kim, a nurse, had a fantastic response to their health care provision and screening programmes. Word had spread that there was a doctor at the school and on the first day, over 100 people arrived seeking medical support! As Simon had to prioritise the setting up of the sight and hearing screening (and had no medical provision beyond first aid with him) these people had to be turned away. However, it highlighted the extent of unmet medical need. Four people from Nayamba School have now been trained to carry out the sight and hearing screening, and children with specific needs in these areas have been identified.

We were overwhelmed by the number of women attending the Women’s Health Workshop for Monthly Bags. One hundred and sixty-five bags were given out, and 22 women were trained in the use of menstrual cups. In addition, 45 women were screened for cervical cancer, and one of these women required treatment (which was carried out on site). This is a fantastic step forward in empowering the community of Nayamba to have greater ownership over their health and wellbeing so that they can live their lives more fully.