In 2003 a 22-year-old George Orlale started work as a security guard at Kisumu Urban Apostolate Programmes (KUAP) Pandipieri Center in Kisumu, Kenya. Today he is a proud college graduate on the road to his master’s degree in data management.
“Our house is on fire — let’s act like it. We demand climate justice for everyone.” So say the world’s youth as they stage a week-long Global Climate Strike event September 20–27 to demand an end to the age of fossil fuels. Students across our threatened Earth are walking out of school on September 20 to save the planet for their future and for future generations to come. Many school systems in New York City and elsewhere are giving permission for students to leave class, and companies from Amazon to Ben & Jerry’s plan to close their doors for part of the day in solidarity.
Women in low-resource areas are particularly vulnerable to complications during pregnancy and to postpartum hemorrhage. Timely and appropriate management can prevent suffering and loss, yet high-risk communities lack the appropriate knowledge and skilled medical personnel. WiRED International created our Mother and Child Health Series of 24 health learning modules so that women, their families and community health workers can prepare for a healthy pregnancy, delivery and the early years of their child.
Proper nutrition from infancy throughout adulthood is key not only to survival but to lifelong health and well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) just released a report calling for health services to make nutrition a top priority, stating that doing so could save 3.7 million lives by 2025.
Ideally, doctors and nurses belong on the scene in any medical emergency. However, in underserved areas of the world, the burden of care more often falls on community health workers (CHWs) who, if trained properly, can save lives and prevent further injury. WiRED International is completing a series of First Aid Modules designed to train CHWs on administering urgent and immediate lifesaving measures that can be performed on injured people by nonmedical professionals when medical personnel are not immediately available.
Any infection can lead to sepsis — a life-threatening emergency — yet few people know what it is. Sepsis is a complication of infection that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death. The condition constitutes a global healthcare problem, and despite advances in modern medicine such as vaccines, antibiotics and intensive care, it is the primary cause of death from infection, especially in underserved countries.
Chronic diseases impact the way we live our lives every day. Many people do not believe that chronic diseases — such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and many cancers — can be prevented. We know the major causes of these noncommunicable diseases; if we knock out risk factors, then we are much less likely to fall ill, so that, for example, 80% of all heart disease could be prevented.
1. What are Health Learning Modules? They are interactive learning courses that teach people without medical backgrounds about health and medical issues. These evidence-based and peer-reviewed modules are used for group presentations and for individual study.
On August 8 the United Nations released an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report by 107 experts from 52 countries, which warns that the world’s food supply is at risk due to “unprecedented” climate change, combined with the exploitation of land and water resources.
The World Health Organization states that a strong health force is needed to deliver primary health care to people living in low-resource areas of the world. The current critical shortfall of doctors and nurses can be filled by community health workers (CHWs) — when they are properly trained. WiRED’s CHW curriculum includes training in basic health issues, prevention techniques, taking vital signs, first aid and other health-related skills. Further, it includes WHO-recommended topics such as health surveillance and communication competencies.