Health Care Around the World
World Heath Fairs Rotarian Action Group Newsletter
Rotarians Working to Improve World Health
October 2008
Health Care Around the World
Rotarians from 35 countries are working together to improve
world health.
With their battle cry of "
Prevention is the intention" theirmission has been and is to provide and promote health care
and disease prevention wherever the opportunity presents
itself. This simple but profound mission statement reflects a
lifelong commitment by these members to provide "service
above self" and to prolong life of individuals wherever
possible.
Health promotion is a very difficult and sensitive issue with
cultural differences in many countries impacting negatively
the work of the Rotarians their" on-ground" support.
Intentions of help need to be tempered with convincing
education and respect for cultural differences as well as local
economic conditions.
Recognizing these limitations Rotarians have
established their vision to bring the right care,
education and information to each region. Working
in such diverse countries as USA, Russia, the
Philippines, Thailand, Mexico, Mongolia and Fiji
there is an impressive degree of cooperation with
governments, and public health professionals to
provide the wide range of services to people with
little or no access to health care.
During our strategic planning meeting in Los
Angeles in June 2008 many milestones were
achieved and are continuing to be accomplished. A
representative sample follows below:
Russia
·
13 Health Fair Centers and 3 satelliteoffices are fully operational, or in final
planning for service.
·
Health Fairs have been conducted and aretargeted at many different audiences, but the most popular
is youth. Some disease specific health fairs have been held,
such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes or hypertension. Mobile
health fairs have helped to deliver preventive health care to
smaller communities.
Philippines:
·
The first health fair was held in November 2006 bymembers of the Paranaque East Rotary Club, Plans are to
expand to other areas
. Mexico: Merida, Yucatan
·
PDG David and his wife Rotarian Ruby Gonzalez arespearheading efforts in the Merida area, and have
conducted health fairs in Progresso.
·
3 Rotarians from Canada participated in the Health fair inMerida, Mexico. with 2 Rotarians from Alaska. It was
organized by 4 of 5 Clubs in the city. 2000 local people
from the poorer area participated in the Health Fair.
·
Children from the local schools also received informationon drug abuse, harmful use of tobacco, diet, and general
health issues. There were several workshops, on sexual
abuse, dental hygiene, maternity clinic, blood pressure
clinic and many others.
·
The members from Canada donated dental supplies,resuscitation training
and hearing aids.
·
Additional health fairswere held in Alaska,
All these health fairs are being
repeated in 2009. However in
order to expand the services,
additional members are truly
needed to join the group. You
can get further information on
the group website at
http://www.worldhealthfairs.org/WHF/index.htm
Health Fairs can provide:
·
Eye care andvision
·
Emergencytechniques
·
Dental health·
Healthy livingfor teens
·
Infant care andchildhood health
·
Blood pressureand blood tests
·
Reproductivehealth
·
Early cancerdetection
and prevention of:
HIV/AIDS
, T uberculosis , MalariaDiphtheria
Hypertension