Health Education in an Ethiopian Paediatric Clinic
Abstract
Health Education in an Ethiopian Paediatric Clinic SAGE Publications, Inc.1965DOI: 10.1177/001789696502300109 Peter L.S. Clark M.R.S.H., DIP.H.ED. Ethio-Swedish Paediatric Clinic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia SINCE 1957, when the Ethio-Swedish Paediatric Clinic started its activities in Addis Ababa, the disease pattern has remained more or less constant. Topping the list for in-patients has been gastro-enteritis, with diseases of the respiratory tract closely following. Third and fourth places have been taken by the deficiency diseases (kwashiorkor, marasmus and rickets) and accidents (predominantly bums). All these, it will be agreed, can be classed as preventable. It was therefore decided that a health education programme was most necessary to supplement the Clinic's curative services and this was introduced last year. Ideally, it is appreciated, the paediatrician dealing with the case should be the person who advises the parent on protecting the child's health. Here in Addis Ababa such a course would be completely impracticable. The out-patient department deals with about 70-100,000 visits annually, so it is quite usual for a doctor to deal with over 50 cases in the course of a morning, which means that he must reduce conversation with the parent to the barest minimum. Also, as all but two of the