Screenings conducted in remote areas

CALLAN Services national unit Wewak, in partnership with Creative Self-Help Centre Madang, reached rural communities in Madang recently to provide ear-and-eye inclusive education and community-based rehabilitation services.
This week, a team from the two centres visited Brahman Primary School in the Usino-Bundi district and screened 88 children.
Team leader and national deaf project coordinator Dr Augustine Koroma said out of the 88 children, 63 had common ear problems such as discharging ears, perforated ear drums, fungal infection, fluid-filled middle ears, foreign bodies and impacted wax.
Dr Koroma said those with ear problems were treated at the screening site, while others with severe cases were referred for further diagnostic testing and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist services.
School head teacher Joe Wapaim said such services were vital for the children’s health as well and their learning.
Mr Wapaim said health problems affected a child’s learning and such specialist service that go into the remote schools to assist school children were the way forward in addressing all health issues. 
Dr Koroma said the team also spent a week at Ranara Primary School in the Rai Coast district where they screened school children and the communities there.
He said the team would continue to conduct mobile clinics to many parts of Madang rural communities where majority needed specialist services.
Dr Koroma said the rural people’s appreciation of such services reaching them had prompted the dedicated staff of Creative Self Help and Callan Services national unit to go out into the people although there are difficulties in reaching many rural communities.