MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Soldiers from the Special Operations Command Central Civil Military Support Element, in coordination with the Tajikistan Ministries of Health and Education, witnessed the continuing U.S. – Tajik partnership to combat several types of soil-transmitted helminthic infections in Dushanbe, Sept. 25.
The Director of the Republican Tropical Disease Center, members from the Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Foundation and the U.S. Civil Affairs Team visited School #141 and School #1 in Vahdat, Tajikistan to observe the second round of the health initiative with the stated goal of lowering the overall rate of intestinal parasite infestations nationwide.
The U.S. Department of Defense-funded program was implemented by the RVF, a U.S.-based non-governmental organization that provided training and medication to local medical professionals and school administrators focused on treating women of child-bearing age and children under 17 years old.
School-aged children are the most vulnerable group to intestinal worm infestations followed by preschool-aged children and women of childbearing age. Each of these groups received medication during the first round of treatment in April.
During the first round of medication, U.S. Ambassador Ken Gross joined Dr. Azamjon Mirzoyev, Deputy Minister of Health for Tajikistan; Dr. Sayfuddin Karimov, Head of the Center for Tropical Diseases in Tajikistan; Mr. Billy Amoss, Executive Director of RVF; and Mr. Jeff Lehrer, Director, USAID/Tajikistan as they greeted a classroom of young students marking the commencement of the health initiative.
“With training and medication provided by RVF, local medical professionals and school administrators will be able to administer medication to schools and medical clinics throughout the country, leading to a drastic reduction in the level of infections,” said Cpt. Devin Conley, a team leader for the CMSE.
RVF administered the first round of medication on April 16, and planned for the second round to begin this past week. The U.S. Ambassador stated that millions of Tajiks will receive treatment during this initiative.
During the recent round of medication, approximately 1.7 million children received treatment. In addition to the medication, RVF provided training on how to avoid re-infection from the parasites.
The main causes of these infections are contamination of water sources from raw sewage and poor sanitation. RVF and the CMSE are working together to raise awareness of these causes and increase the use of hygienic practices designed to prevent re-infection in order to maintain a low infection level.
The intestinal parasite health initiative was developed following a similar program conducted successfully in Kyrgyzstan. With coordination and planning through the U.S. Office of Defense Military Cooperation, the CMSE was able to facilitate this initiative for the people of Tajikistan
Since 1992, the U.S. has provided more than $984 million in programs and humanitarian aid that support Tajikistan’s democratic institutions, health care, education, and economic growth. The intestinal parasite health initiative is another example of the U.S. commitment to improving the lives of the citizens of Tajikistan.
Date Taken: | 09.28.2012 |
Date Posted: | 09.28.2012 08:21 |
Story ID: | 95439 |
Location: | DUSHANBE, TJ |
Web Views: | 258 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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