SDG 3: HEALTH

WHO estimates the following % of causes of deaths of under 5 world wide

• 19% Pneumonia deaths : reduced by 30% by handwashing
• 17% diarrhoea deaths:  elimated by good WASH
• 8% malaria: eliminated by ITNs and treatment
• 4% measles: eliminated by vaccination
• 3% HIV/AIDs: eliminated by early diagnosis
• 37% neonatal causes: reduced by 44% by good WASH

So just through training in Community Health clubs we could reduce child deaths by 88%

COVID 19: The spread of Covid 19 can be signficently by handwashing with soap. By ensuring that women practice frequent and thorough  handwashing we can contribute to the slowing of infection within households. women lean to adopt spacial distancing and to protect others from open sneezing or coughing. Even before Covid came along this wass standard procedure  in Community Health Clubs.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENTEROPATHY: Recent research is now showing that Environmental Enteropathy (EE), the inability of the intestine to absorb nutrients, is responsible for much of the lack of growth (stunting) which limits intellectual and physical development. By providing a clean environment for toddlers, free from fecal contamination, can prevent EE. This is achieved in Community Health Clubs.

MALARIA can be largely prevented by control of breeding sites of mosquitoes, using insecticide treated mosquito nets for children. The distribution of Mosquito nets can be a part of CHC activities as can the spraying of breeding sites and home management of mosquitoes.

ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS  (ARI)  such as Pneumonia and Bronchitis often affect newborn babies as they are not kept warm after birth. Late treatment is one of the main causes of death from pneumonia. CHC members recognise when a child should be taken to the clinic, thus saving many lives.

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE : Increased use of antibioticts in poltry and livestock as well as overuese of antibiotics for curative measures to treat infections, has resulted in a world wide threat that microbes are now resistent to treatment from antibiotics, meaning that we now have no treatment for many ‘super bugs’  whilst antibiotics continue to be prescribed and incomplete completion of treatment is common. CHCs enable mothers to understand how to build immunity of their children without resorting to anti-biotics, and the importance of completing treatment . 

35% of all under 5 deaths are attributable to Malnutrition, which proves fatal  in combination with other conditions such as Malaria or diarrhoea.

We enable mothers to address malnutriton in the children thus saving lives.

REPRODUTIVE HEALTH: Complications arising in delivery are often  preventable if women deliver in a proper health facility. Our CHC member ensure that all pregnant women are properly cared for and have a proper birthing plan of action, thus saving unnecessary deaths due to miscarriage or premature birth, neonatal tetanus and other life threatening conditions. .

CHOLERA: Community Health Clubs can also be used to prevent the spread of Cholera epidemics because there is a group responsible for public health in the area.

Poor water, sanitation and hygiene encourages the spread of cholera and this can be controlled in Community Health Clubs.  Early identification and reporting of cholera cases is also vital incontaining the spread of an epidemic.

HIV/AIDS: Community Health clubs help to identify and support people living with AIDS. Pregnant mothers can now access Anti Retrovirus in most countries and Mother to Child Prevention of Transmission of HIV/AIDS is possible in an organised community such as we create.

DIARRHOEA  can be virtually eliminated by safe water, safe food , safe sanitation and safe hygiene. High levels of compliance (over  80% of all members) in a health club can be expected to confirm to these standards, thus diarrhoea can be eliminated except as a symptom of Malaria, teething, pneumonia or HIV.