After the Christmas and New Year holiday, the Hiam Health Rehabilitation Center (SRHH) commenced receiving malnutrition patients for rehabilitation in February.
The Hiam Health Organization Director (HH), Rosalia da Cruz said beforehand the organization improved the capacity of its staff on how to better address patient needs.
She said also they raised awareness in the health facilities and communities of the center’s work, as well as the contact number for them to call when patients presented.
“Our center opens and receives again the malnutrition patients in February,” said Director HH da Cruz in her office in Aimutin Dili.
She said the patients will be accompanied by their families to stay in the rehabilitation center and they also attend the training to improve their capacity to prepare nutritious, hygienic food as well as growing their own food.
She added many families attended the training on the issue but many of them did not implement it well.
“When we hold monitoring again, many families didn’t implement what they learned at the rehabilitation center with the reason being they did not have land and water,” said Director da Cruz.
In 2013, 245 children were registered at SRHH for treatment for malnutrition. Many of the patients were from Aileu, Ermera and Dili districts.
Amelia da Costa, a family member of a patient of the facility, thanked the organization for helping the children recover and improving the capacities to prevent future malnutrition in the family.
“During the time we were at home and didn’t know how to cook the rich and hygienic food for our kids, but after staying here we learned lot things,” she said.
