Community Health Workers Are Tackling Malnourishment in Remote Tajikistan

By Khosiyatkhon Komilova, Communications specialist, IntraHealth International Malika Pirimova poses with health volunteers and her son in Vakhsh District. Photo credit: Tajikistan Health and Nutrition Activity.March 11, 2020By 23, Malika Pirimova was caring for a two-year old daughter, a one-year old son, and was three-months pregnant with her third child. Navbunvod, the mountain village she lives in, has limited access to roads, public health centers, and hospitals. As such, Malika gave birth to her two older children without antenatal care and never took them to a pediatrician.When she became pregnant for a third time, she was concerned for her then nine-month old son.“My son was very thin, and I almost did not breastfeed him, as I did not understand how important it is,” says Pirimova.“He did not know how to walk or stand, but we could not afford the travel expenses to the health center. In May 2019, my neighbors Robiyamoh and Oyimgul came to my house. They introduced themselves as volunteers for theTajikistan Health and Nutrition Activity. They both brought many changes to our lives.”Robiyamoh Sharipova and Oyimgul Pirmakhmadova are two of 1,300 community health volunteers who are part of the USAID-funded Feed the Future Tajikistan Health and Nutrition Activity. Each health volunteer is responsible for 100 households, which they visit once a week. They donate their valuable time to teach villagers about health, nutrition, sanitation, an...
Source: IntraHealth International - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Family Planning & Reproductive Health Maternal, Newborn, Child Health Community Engagement Community Health Workers Source Type: news