Female staff at the Kaolack medical centre are improving local medical standards in Senegal

SOS Children’s Villages has partnered with DeMellier to raise funds that will go towards the development of Kaolacks medical centre in Senegal. The medical centre has been developing and improving medical standards to enhance the health and well-being within its community.

In Senegal  27% of women aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and 53% of woman have at least one problem accessing health care. The staff at Kaolack medical centre strive to help their community become a safer place for vulnerable woman and children.

Their amazing efforts have helped save children such as Maimouna Diop*. When she was a baby, Maimouna became extremely sick, suffering from acute malnutrition. At five months old, Maimouna was admitted to the SOS Medical Centre in Kaolack’s nutritional recovery centre.

After the diagnosis of severe malnutrition because of a lack of her mother’s breast milk, Maimouna was hospitalised in the intensive care unit. During the treatment, a nasogastric and received a milk replacement and multivitamins.

Once her condition improved after 15 days in the intensive care unit, Maimouna – then six months old – was transferred to the weight tracking centre.

The treatment was adjusted to fortified meals, such as light millet porridge, rice-enriched milk, and peanuts (paste). Since then, the child is in good shape and has flourished well over the past five years. Her mother, Aïssata, diligently adheres to every weight follow-up appointment.

The family have now moved into accommodation with their neighbours. Aïssata has been working with SOS Children’s Villages to continue working towards career development; receiving further support with food, access to health care and education. Enabling her to take care of her children and keep her family together.

*Name changed to protect the privacy of the child.

DeMelliers partnership with SOS Children’s Villages will enable 5475 children and infants in Kaolack Medical Centre to receive valuable health care each month and even more children in the wider community.

The support will also enable the medical centre to renew and acquire equipment in its facilities to be able to provide adequate care for the children and infants they treat.