NPH Peru vaccinations.

Many children that arrive at NPH suffer from chronic health conditions. Whether it’s treatment for HIV or a life-saving surgery, our medical services team of international healthcare professionals provide our children with access to vital healthcare services. As part of this process, we support local healthcare staff and promote collaboration among our homes’ interdisciplinary teams to ensure each child receives the best physical and emotional care possible.

The main purpose of each NPH healthcare center in our nine homes, is to execute preventive initiatives, care for the children with chronic conditions and attend and treat the daily children who arrive at the clinic with acute conditions such as: fever, respiratory infection, intestinal problems, broken bones and other injuries.

All healthcare staff work within a frame work defined by the NPH International Healthcare Policy and Healthcare Manual, keeping in mind the well-being of the children on reaching their full potential and insuring quality standards in the health service NPH provides.

Well child exam

Medical Exams for New Incoming Children
Each clinic completes medical exams for new children entering their respective home. The purpose is to have an assessment of their health status and to be able to intervene early when necessary. Tuberculosis, anemia screening, sickle cell, Chagas, HIV, Hepatitis B and C, weight and length- nutrition/growth and development and assessing their vaccination history are among the studies the local doctor performs.

Some children do not have any vaccine history which means the clinic has to assume that they have had none. The average cost for these tests are 50.00 USD depending on the country. Once the full exam is completed, a healthcare plan is written which may include deworming, administrating missing vaccines, special dietary considerations and/or consultation to specialists.

Wellness Exams
Each child receives a “well child visit” or annual medical checkup. This is when each doctor can follow up if the initial plan was accomplished, if there are any new symptoms with the goal of early intervention.

Part of the well child visit includes a dental checkup and cleaning. Most of the homes also have a dental clinic with a permanent local dentist. Other homes have foreign dental brigades perform oral checkups, annual cleaning, filling cavities, topical fluoride and orthodontic treatment.

Public health prevention

Health Education & Public Health
Health education is another ongoing project for each clinic. There is a list of basic topics to complete every year such as: hand washing, preventing lice, preventing worms, respiratory and gastrointestinal, skin infections, coughing protocol, sexual education (puberty- transmitted diseases), personal hygiene, oral hygiene, first aid, accident prevention (according to the age), and drugs and alcohol abuse prevention.

Public health initiatives are also part of an exciting and very important project being carried out in each home. This includes proper food management and hygienic food handler uniform standards, windows screens, mosquito nets, fumigation, water testing and waste management.

• In our Honduras, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Peru, and Guatemalan homes, we have an HIV program working together with the national government HIV program and other NGOs in order to ensure the procurement of antiretroviral medication and testing.
• Each home screens new children for low weight and malnourishment. An individual nutritional program is established for the children who qualify. Within a matter of months with NPH, they reach the appropriate level of development for their age.
• In El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Mexico, children living with their family but attending the NPH onsite school, receive an annual medical checkup. This program will soon begin in Haiti. The objective is to prevent any epidemic within the NPH home where our children live since both populations are together in the school/classroom.