Improving the health of mothers and children in ethnic minority areas

Communications staff of Quang Lam commune (Dam Ha district) propagate population policies to ethnic minorities in the area.

Quang Lam is a highland commune of Dam Ha district, in which ethnic minorities account for 98%. Therefore, health care, especially reproductive health and family planning, of the people here is still limited. Understanding the characteristics of the people here, going to work from early morning until late afternoon, medical and population officials in the area have actively "gone from alley to door" to take advantage of the time when people are at home to propagate and mobilize people to have more knowledge about reproductive health and family planning.

Ms. Chieu Kim Kieu, communications officer of Quang Lam Commune Health Station, shared: “When we go to support people, we must be the ones who understand them best about their health, physical condition, and family in order to have the right, sufficient, and appropriate communication plan for each target group. Therefore, we have gone to villages and hamlets to help people understand the population policy and guide households to properly implement contraceptive measures. Thanks to that tireless effort, it has actively contributed to helping people here raise awareness, proactively plan their births, have better conditions to care for and educate their children, and improve the lives and economies of each family.”

The Provincial Family Planning Association provides free consultation and medicine to people in Quang Lam commune (Dam Ha district).

Ms. Tang Nhi Mui, Tai Ly Say village, Quang Lam commune, shared: “Thanks to the propaganda staff, my family has changed their thinking about reproductive health care and family planning. The staff enthusiastically advised me about the benefits of regular health check-ups, using micronutrients for my children, and using safe contraceptive methods, so I feel very secure.”

It can be seen that sectors and localities have well organized health care and nutrition programs for mothers and children, aiming to reduce maternal and child mortality, improve the stature and physical strength of ethnic minorities. The health sector has promoted counseling and guidance on nutrition care in the first 1,000 days of a child's life, integrated into prenatal care at commune health stations and communities. Health facilities have also well implemented the essential care process for mothers and newborns during and immediately after birth.

Along with that, health stations in ethnic minority communes organize screening and nutritional assessment for pregnant mothers 3 times/pregnancy/person and 3 months/time/child for children under 2 years old; implement nutritional counseling for children under 2 years old... Implement intervention measures for children from 0 to 72 months old diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition by supporting treatment; providing regular nutritional support and guidance... Health stations also provide health care for mothers and newborns in the first 42 days after birth at home, to monitor the health of both mothers and newborns in the first 6 weeks at home.

Binh Lieu District Medical Center provides health check-ups for children in the area.

Health units also coordinate with communes and villages to organize or integrate demonstration sessions on food for children based on locally available products and foods at health stations or village cultural houses for pregnant women and mothers with children under 2 years old. Regularly disseminate, advise and guide on nutritional care for pregnant women; encourage and support breastfeeding; educate on appropriate complementary feeding; supplement micronutrients for pregnant women and mothers with young children.

The intervention program to supplement high-dose vitamin A for children under 5 years old to prevent vitamin A deficiency has also been promoted. Health stations regularly monitor the weight of all newborns, every 3 months for children under 24 months who are not malnourished. Children with malnutrition are monitored for growth and provided with monthly nutrition advice. In early June every year, the province launches a campaign to supplement high-dose vitamin A in combination with weighing and measuring the growth of all children under 5 years old, with priority given to ethnic minority children...

Medical staff of Nam Son Commune Health Station (Ba Che district) guide nutritional practices for mothers raising children under 5 years old.

To continue narrowing the gap between regions, the health sector will continue to coordinate with other sectors and localities to implement many programs and solutions to improve medical examination and treatment capacity to bring high-quality medical services closer to the people, contributing to improving and enhancing the health of mothers and children in ethnic minority areas.

Van Anh

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/nang-cao-the-trang-cho-ba-me-tre-em-vung-dtts-3353603.html