Writing about Timmy Global Health
last week reminded me of a (another) special organization that Timmy supports
called Alma Sana. Approximately two
years ago, I heard the founder speak at the annual Students of Timmy
conference. Alma Sana is an organization
with similar attitudes and goals as Timmy: reduce health inequalities among
populations through involvement, education, and empowerment of local communities. An important component of this involvement is
holding themselves accountable to partnerships with healthcare professional and
advocates in both developed and developing countries. Sounds a lot like Timmy, huh?
When I heard the founder, Lauren Braun, speak at the conference, she discussed her and
the organization’s powerful vision: to help children when they are at their
most vulnerable period in life, AKA, from birth through age five. After age five, the risk of dying from a
vaccine-preventable disease decreases greatly.
How do they achieve or reach for this vision? Through the founder’s novel creation of a
reminder bracelet, worn by her young child, that keeps track of her child’s
immunization appointments and which vaccines are still needed. This way, the nurses and doctors are able to
see more patients at their clinics, and more children are able to live to age
five. Please watch this short, three minute video to understand
this concept more in depth:
Feel
free to read/learn further at their website: http://www.almasanaproject.org/about/. Alma Sana (“healthy soul” in Spanish) is a
creative and novel organization that reminds us all of modern
problem-solving. I could not help but
think, and wanted to ask you all, what other conditions would or could benefit
from a similar idea like the Alma Sana bracelets? Diabetes?
Heart disease? Vaccines in older
persons even? Could this idea or ideas
that you come up with be feasible in the United States? How effective do you think these bracelets
are? Let's discuss!
Lisa, this is a great organization and what a phenomenal idea the bracelets are! I think the concept behind it, if used and accepted in various areas, can certainly be beneficial. My one concern, although they do allude to it somewhat on their website, is the meaning behind the symbols and how one symbol in one culture can mean something completely different in another which may impact their attitudes and therefore their use of the bracelet. But if they are able to work with local organizations in each of the areas that they are scaling up to and are able to customize the symbols to culturally suit each, then that would work. A friend of mine ran into this problem when him and his research team were first researching the use of an iron disk to help combat iron deficiency in Cambodia. When they first designed the disk, they had it in the shape of something that was not well accepted in Cambodian culture and the families did not use it! Once doing some exploratory research they understood this and reshaped the pod into a fish (a symbol of health and good fortune) and the product is now known as The Lucky Iron Fish: http://www.luckyironfish.com/ . You may have heard about this initiative recently, as they have seen some tremendous growth in the past year. The idea is that mothers cook with this iron fish (throw it in their boiling water as they cook rice or soups) and the iron would be more bio-available for their bodies to use rather than cooking with just an iron pot or pan. As a result, him and his team have been able to decrease iron deficiency anemia in various communities in Cambodia which has been such a large problem for so long.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your questions, I think the bracelets would certainly be beneficial in tracking vaccines in the aging populations, especially and most effectively in Long-Term Care Homes where there are high concerns for illnesses and are a sensitive population, as well as the fact that each patient is seen by multiple healthcare providers at various times. For developed countries such as in North America and its use with infants and children, I wonder if it wouldn't be as effective, perhaps even may be social concern? For example, a child whose parents are against immunization may be seen as an outcast for not having one should the bracelet become of use in certain daycares etc. Either way, I love the idea and believe that aboriginal communities at most would have benefit to it. I love how they are a local organization based here as well. Thank you for sharing such great initiatives that are all around us!
These bracelets are so cool! I love that Alma Sana has found such an innovative method for keeping track of childhood vaccinations. I believe the tracking bracelets could be used in the United States, but I do not know what their longevity would be. People in the U.S. go through phases of health concerns and fashion statements; it would be interesting to see the two combined! I think the United States and other more developed countries would be more likely to use a vaccination tracking app. I know I just wrote about our obsession with technology, but it can be convenient.
ReplyDeleteExcellent initiative...People have been using immunization cards since long as a reminder but I totally see the convenience of this.
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