Health

Our work often starts from small beginnings. Shown here from left to right are Dr. Nubari Nabie (health project coordinator), Zabbey Nenibarini (coordinator of our partner CEHRD), Rev. Moses Nyimale Lezor (Bodo school director) and Scott Pegg meeting at the CEHRD offices to discuss our planned health project in Bodo.
Our work often starts from small beginnings. Shown here from left to right are Dr. Nubari Nabie (health project coordinator), Nenibarini Zabbey (coordinator of our partner organization CEHRD), Rev. Moses Nyimale Lezor (Bodo school director) and Scott Pegg meeting at the CEHRD offices to discuss our planned health project in Bodo.
A December 2022 sign for our health program visits to all six schools we currently support in Rivers State, Nigeria.
Our health project targeted 100 of the poorest and most vulnerable students in Bodo. The nurse here is giving one of our students a measles immunization.
Our health project which started during the 2012-2013 academic year targeted 100 of the poorest and most vulnerable students in Bodo. The nurse here is giving one of our students a measles immunization.
Students in our pilot health program like the boy shown here also received polio immunizations.
Students in our pilot health program like the boy shown here also received polio immunizations.
Dr. Nubari Nabie (2nd from left), Rev. Moses Nyimale Lezor (far right) and other members of our health immunization team in Bodo.
Dr. Nubari Nabie (2nd from left), Rev. Moses Nyimale Lezor (far right) and other members of our health immunization team in Bodo.
More than 2/3rds of the entire funding for our pilot health project in Bodo came from Timmy Global Health. We gratefully acknowledge their support and especially thank Matt MacGregor, Dr. Mercy Obeime, Anna Butterbaugh, Mercy Medical Missions and the Indiana University student chapter of Timmy Global Health who made so much of our health project possible.
More than 2/3rds of the entire funding for our pilot health project in Bodo came from Timmy Global Health. We gratefully acknowledge their support and especially thank Matt MacGregor, Dr. Mercy Obeime, Anna Butterbaugh, Mercy Medical Missions and the Indiana University student chapter of Timmy Global Health who made so much of the work we did through our health project possible.
Students enrolled in our pilot health project like this child also received Vitamin A supplements as part of the program.
Students enrolled in our pilot health project like this child also received Vitamin A supplements as part of the program.
As this map shows, our catchment area in the Niger Delta is one of the areas in Nigeria most heavily affected by soil-transmitted helminths (STH) which are small parasitic worms that live in the intestines and deprive their hosts of essential nutrients, leaving them malnourished and tired. This map comes from the Global Atlas of Helminth Infection, available at http://www.thiswormyworld.org Accessed 7/11/13.
As this map shows, our catchment area in the Niger Delta is one of the areas in Nigeria most heavily affected by soil-transmitted helminths (STH) which are small parasitic worms that live in the intestines and deprive their hosts of essential nutrients, leaving them malnourished and tired. This map comes from the Global Atlas of Helminth Infection, available at http://www.thiswormyworld.org. Accessed 7/11/13.
Another major part of our work with the health project has been to deworm our Bodo pupils. Two billion people worldwide are affected by soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and schistosomes, which account for over 40% of the worldwide burden of all tropical diseases excluding malaria. Children are particularly vulnerable to infection so they suffer the highest intensity and experience the greatest morbidity.
Another major part of our Timmy Global Health-funded work with the health project has been to deworm our Bodo pupils. Two billion people worldwide are affected by soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and schistosomes, which account for over 40% of the worldwide burden of all tropical diseases excluding malaria. Children are particularly vulnerable to infection so they suffer the highest intensity and experience the greatest morbidity.
Pupils at our school in Bodo receiving albendazole to treat STH as part of our deworming efforts.
Pupils at our school in Bodo taking albendazole to treat STH as part of our deworming efforts.
Students receiving treatment as part of our deworming program. According to Robert Mundell, a Nobel prize winning economist at Columbia, "Deworming is an overlooked intervention deserving of greater attention and resources. This simple, cheap investment can mean a child is healthier and spends more time in school."
Students receiving albendazole as part of our deworming program. According to Robert Mundell, a Nobel prize winning economist at Columbia University, “Deworming is an overlooked intervention deserving of greater attention and resources. This simple, cheap investment can mean a child is healthier and spends more time in school.”
According to the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab in the Department of Economics at MIT, "Funding mass, school-based deworming programs in areas of high worm load is among the most cost effective things any government, agency, or donor can do with their money. It is simultaneously one of the most cost-effective ways to improve child health and the most cost-effective ways to increase school attendance."
According to the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab in the Department of Economics at MIT, “Funding mass, school-based deworming programs in areas of high worm load is among the most cost effective things any government, agency, or donor can do with their money. It is simultaneously one of the most cost-effective ways to improve child health and the most cost-effective ways to increase school attendance.”
In the second year of our health program, during the 2013-2014 academic year, we were able to extend the deworming treatment to the entire school population in Bodo. The kids here are waiting to receive the deworming treatment in March 2014.
In the second year of our health program, during the 2013-2014 academic year, we were able to extend the deworming treatment to the entire school population in Bodo. The kids here are waiting to receive the deworming treatment in March 2014.
Bodo students receiving deworming treatment in March 2014.
Bodo students receiving deworming treatment in March 2014.
Bodo students receiving Vitamin A supplements in July 2015.
Bodo students receiving Vitamin A supplements in July 2015.
A Bodo student receiving a typhoid vaccine in July 2015.
A Bodo student receiving a typhoid vaccine in July 2015.
Some of our youngest Bodo students receiving typhoid shots with some of the teachers helping.
Some of our youngest Bodo students receiving typhoid shots with some of the teachers helping.
We expanded our health program to our school in Bori in 2015. Shown here are Dr. Nabie Nubari Francis, Leelee Wiwa (the school director) and members of our immunization team in Bori in 2016.
We next expanded our health program to our school in Bane. The student shown here is receiving a tetanus vaccination shot.
We then expanded our health program to St. Patrick’s Nursery and Primary School, a local Catholic school in Bodo which has about 500 students. The St. Patrick’s students shown here in July 2017 are receiving VItamin A supplements.
Another major part of our health project is public health education. Parents, teachers and students have been educated on such topics as personal, family and environmental hygiene, snake bites, kerosene burns and poisoning and the growing danger of rape.
Another major part of our health project is public health education. Parents, teachers and students have been educated on such topics as personal, family and environmental hygiene, snake bites, kerosene burns and poisoning and the growing danger of rape.
We are so grateful to Timmy Global Health for their continued and generous support of our health program.
We are so grateful to Timmy Global Health for their continued and generous support of our health program.
Dr. Nubari Nabie, the health project coordinator, examining one of our pupils in March 2013.
Dr. Nubari Nabie, the health project coordinator, examining one of our pupils in March 2013 in the school’s sick bay.
Some of the medications in our Bodo sick bay, July 2015. Emzolyte is oral rehydration fluid. Petasil is an anti-vomiting medication. Neoskin cream is for fungal infections and Lumartem is an anti-malarial medication.
Some of the medications in our Bodo sick bay, July 2015. Emzolyte is oral rehydration fluid. Petasil is an anti-vomiting medication. Neoskin cream is for fungal infections and Lumartem is an anti-malarial medication.
Our health project also involved venupuncture and blood draws to test students for HIV/AIDS, sickle cell anemia, and other basic health measures.
Our health project also involved venipuncture and blood draws to test students for HIV/AIDS, sickle cell anemia, and other basic health measures.  This photo is from November 2012.
A student having his blood drawn in 2014. Over the first two years of our health project, 80.5% of the students tested had mild-moderate anemia (Hb greater than 8g/dl but less than 11g/dl). By comparison, In the United States, 20% of American children are estimated to have mild-moderate anemia at some point before they turn 18.
A student having his blood drawn in 2014. Over the first two years of our health project, 80.5% of the students tested had mild-moderate anemia (Hb greater than 8g/dl but less than 11g/dl). By comparison, In the United States, 20% of American children are estimated to have mild-moderate anemia at some point before they turn 18.