Des Moines University Nutrition and Health
Service Learning

In 2007, three Des Moines University (DMU) medical students traveled to Uganda for seven weeks to work with VEDCO's Nutrition and Health Officer and staff in rural health centers that serve CSRL clients. They began their work by making home visits and visiting Namasagali and Nakanyonyi Primary Schools. As a result of their initial experience in the schools and learning about the school garden projects, they decided to perform medical examinations for all 950 school children in order to establish baseline data for the school garden projects and also increase knowledge about the health issues facing the children and their families.

The medical students also lead a workshop to teach VEDCO staff, Community Nutrition Health Workers (CNHWs) and Kamuli Mulago Healthcare workers First Aid and CPR techniques.

Not only did the DMU students lead activities to assist the local healthcare workers, but they also had the opportunity to witness firsthand the various service providers and their patients throughout Kamuli District. They visited and observed at local hospitals and sub-clinics, and sat in on a Sanitation and Hygiene training workshop for CNHWs. A day long visit to an AIDS support clinic supported by an international NGO opened the DMU students' eyes to the stark differences between the AIDS clinic, and the Kamuli hospitals and sub-clinics which lack proper funding.

CSRL Program Activities 2007

Objectives:
  1. Enable medical students to gain in-depth understanding of nutrition and health conditions, problems and strategies in rural areas of Kamuli District
  2. Work with VEDCO's Nutrition and Health Officer to support various elements of its nutrition and health program in Kamuli District, including the work of CNHWs and collaboration with the staff of local health centers

Approach:
  1. Discuss activities with VEDCO Kamuli staff, District Director of Health Services, Medical Superintendents of Mulago Hospital (government) and Lubaga Hospital (mission)
  2. Assist VEDCO Nutrition & Health Officer and staff of local health centres
  3. Serve on teams who conduct nutrition and health diagnoses of young children in primary schools being assisted through VEDCO programs

Resources:
  • Primary — VEDCO Nutrition & Health Officer, medical students from CNHWs, staff of health centers
  • Secondary — Faculty and students from Makerere University and Iowa State University, faculty from McGill University and University of Ghana, and students from Des Moines University

Activities:
  • 2007 — Conduct first aid training workshop for all VEDCO staff and assist in first aid training for CNHWs (CPR, wound care, burns, fractures, choking, poisoning)
  • — Conduct nutrition and health diagnostic physical of 950 young children (ages 6-17) in Namagasali and Nakanyonyi Primary Schools, assisted by VEDCO (malnutrition indicators vis. hair, skin, face, eyes, teeth, gums, tongue, lips, feet, legs, nails, neck, edema in the extremities, and worms in the abdomen)
  • — Creation of data files of baseline indicators for future reference (to target program resources and interventions, assess impacts, identify sources of variation)

Outcomes:
  • 2007 — Very beneficial impacts for VEDCO's Nutrition & Health Officer, primary school students, and DMU interns
  • — Great interest expressed in continuing and expanding partnership activities

Lessons Learned:
  1. More time in country and elementary language skills will be valuable
  2. Community level experiences provide tremendous learning opportunities

Challenges & Questions:
  1. Securing funds to support student interns who make 7-week commitment
  2. Formalizing appropriate collaboration relationships among Makerere University's School of Public Health, Des Moines University, ISU and VEDCO

Are you a medical or public health student or professional who would like to learn about possible opportunities like this, or do you have talents that can enhance the effectiveness of the partnership between CSRL and DMU? Please contact the center for more information or to give a gift.