Improving health of 500 Guatemalan school children

The team at Mayanza is very excited to share our outcomes from our work in 2018.  We will be sending another report in 2019 after our trips in February and July.

The team traveled to Santiago Atitlan Feb 10-17, 2018 and July 28-Aug 4, 2018. For our intervention, each child received a full screening physical exam including measurements of growth and vision screening. In addition, each child had a dental screening examination and fluoride varnish application by a physician assistant, medical or dental student. Then, the school children were each given their very own toothbrush, toothpaste and soap.

Highlights of 2018:

• We have formed a partnership with a Community Health Educator, Lola Ajtujal.  Lola visits the children in each of the schools every week to teach a lesson on a variety fo health topics.
• The team expanded to see many more students in 2018:

                 2016 - we saw 113 students

                 2017 - we saw 300 students

                 2018 - we saw 500 students in both February AND July 

• Each child received a dose of the anti-parasite medication, albendazole twice in 2018.
• The team hand-carried over 100K multivitamins to the four schools so each child would receive a daily vitamin.
• We added a fingerstick hemoglobin station and almost 78% of children screened were willing to have this test. Rates of anemia ranged from 40-47% across the schools which confirmed the need for anti-parasite medication and daily multivitamins.
• We have also partnered with Dr Jose Alejandro, a Guatemalan dentist who has agreed to evaluate and treat the students that we screen in the 4 schools.
• Lastly, we have been successful in receiving two grants to pay for the dental supplies for Dr. Alejandro to treat the students in these schools.

            NCCPA Foundation Kathy J Pederson Grant to Promote Equitable Care - $5,000

            Oral Health Foundation of the Pierre Fauchard Academy - $10,000

We look forward to sharing our results of our current programs and our plan to pilot a new diabetes lifestyle intervention and support group for women when we return in February!

Warm regards,

Jami