Free medical tests for 830 poor children

Sept & Oct 2013

830 (88%) of the 940 FCG children from 16 communities where OvR is implementing the health component this school year had two basic medical tests done – throat swab and stool sample. These tests are required for all children before preschool starts but, because they are not free, poor parents rarely afford them and never get to know their children’s medical problems. This is the second year when GSK makes them available to FCG children through the program's health component. The results showed that 102 (14%) kids had intestinal parasites and 61 streptococcal infections. All the children received treatment. Over 60 preschoolers who are not in FCG benefited from the discount offered by the laboratories and had their tests done.