National Immunization Day

National Immunization Day was observed in Bangladesh this week. I worked with the government health workers in the vaccination center and gave the children the polio vaccine. Since all children under 5 from our community came to the vaccination center, I took the opportunity to counsel them on other health issues. It was a good opportunity as I had them all in one place together.

I separated out all the children who had colds and counted their breaths with the ARI timer. I found that two children were suffering from pneumonia. I counseled the mothers on how to prevent colds from turning to pneumonia, and advised them on what to do if children do get pneumonia. Many people in the village still do not understand the difference between pneumonia and severe pneumonia. This worries me, because if they do not understand how pneumonia works, and do not take precautions, regular pneumonia can easily turn into severe pneumonia, which is fatal! I need to do more counseling. I have to figure out a more effective way to counsel people so that they understand this issue.

During my household visits I found 2 babies with common colds. Fortunately, the mothers were doing a good job of taking care of the children. It made me happy that they remembered my advice and acted on it. I also found 2 more babies are suffering from diarrhea. I had 4 oral rehydration solution packets in my bag and I gave them 3. I advised the mothers to give their babies ORS every time they defecate and also to continue to give them their regular foods. I also advised the mothers not to feed their children food like potato chips and juice they buy from outside shops. These items are totally artificial, full of chemicals which are bad for a baby’s health. When I made follow up visits, I found both babies were getting better.

The next day, I went to house-to-house again to see if any babies had missed getting the polio vaccine. Fortunately, no one missed out. I held a courtyard session on complementary feeding. I showed the mothers how to prepare a balanced diet for the babies with proteins, carbohydrates and minerals. All these foods types are very important for a baby’s physical and mental growth.