Paktika Strong Food, Clean Water programs improve health

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

12.27.2010

Courtesy Story

ISAF Joint Command

KABUL, Afghanistan – The Strong Food program provided families of Paktika province with Strong Food paste, a combination of flour, sugar, vegetable oil and essential vitamins that is mixed with water to nourish children Dec. 27.

The Clean Water program ensures the water used in conjunction with Strong Food is clean by running it through ionizers. More than 300 patients in Sharana, Paktika’s capital city, are currently registered with Strong Food, while nearly 200 are registered with Clean Water.

Although the programs were initiated by the Paktika Provincial Reconstruction Team, they are managed by Afghans.

“We started this program one year and three months ago,” said Dr. Baaz Mahmmadi, contractor for Strong Food and Clean Water in Sharana, Paktika’s capital city.

Mahmmadi explained that the program began in the Orgun and Sharana districts, followed by the Sar Hawza, Mata Khan and Sarobi districts.

“We also have Clean Water in Gomal,” said Mahmmadi. The water there has a lot of bacteria because people use the water from streams.”

The doctor demonstrated how he weighs and measures babies enrolled in the program. The age, weight and height of each baby is recorded and then re-recorded at subsequent visits in order to monitor progress. U.S. Navy Lt. Tamora Holland, medical officer, Provincial Reconstruction Team, works with Mahmmadi on a regular basis to ensure the programs are on track.

“I’m here once a month to taste the food and inspect the process,” said Holland. “Just as in any country, health is an important part of Afghanistan. There are many children who have died here from food and water alone.”

Holland explained that the Afghan ministry of Public Health is making these health issues a priority.

Strong Food is intended for children age five and under, as well as for lactating mothers. However, those who qualify for Strong Food must be stable and meet specific criteria.

Holland explained that the patients are not considered stable if they are not able to eat and hold down food. In this case, they are admitted as inpatients to the Sharana Hospital. If patients are stable despite showing signs of anemia, dehydration or edema, they can be seen on an outpatient basis, she said.

The yellow Strong Food powder comes in individual plastic bags that the families can take home and mix with water to form the Strong Food paste. According to Holland, the water mixed with the powder is just as important as the powder itself. As for the Clean Water program, Holland explained that water essentially becomes a hypo-chlorite solution, which is basically bleach, after running it through an ionizer with table salt.

“It’s safe to consume when diluted,” Holland said. “That’s why they get the small bottles of concentrate and add only 10 milliliters to the water they acquire from the wadis and wells for consumption. It makes the water clean and perfectly safe.

“This program is really good for nutrition and the community,” Holland explained. “All of the supplies are obtained locally. This helps the local vendors, which helps the economy and also gives jobs to the local citizens as well. It also makes them feel like they are giving back and participating in building their own system of healthcare.”

• Date Taken: 12.27.2010
• Date Posted: 01.03.2011 21:49
• Story ID: 62959
• Location: KABUL, AF