WAHF Annual Fundraising Event in NJ

The West African Health Foundation (WAHF) Seventh Annual Fundraising Event

will be held on Saturday May 7, 2011 at the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan

Cathedral of St. John the Theologian, 353 East Clinton Avenue, Tenafly,

New Jersey 07670. The event will commence at 4:00pm and end at 10:00pm.

The benefit dinner and concert is in aid of the Foundation’s continuing

effort to decrease the burden of Malaria and other infectious diseases in

the at risk population groups of pregnant women and children under the age

of five years.

The high-light of this year’s event will be the live musical performance by

the Hi-Life maestro Ofori Amponsah of Ghana. WAHF is a non profit, non

governmental, tax exempt 501c3 organization formed by a group of physicians

concerned with the poor health and nutritional status of the people,

particularly children and women, of the West African sub-region. The major

causes of mortality and morbidity in the sub-region can be prevented or

reduced substantially through effective health and nutritional education at

a fraction of the cost currently expended by the governments and individuals

in managing these diseases.

The Foundation aspires to play a pivotal role in the arduous task of health

care provision in the sub-region by educating and empowering the population

to recognize and manage the commonest ailments and afflictions. Disease

prevention through life style changes and good nutritional habits shall be

fostered.

The communities shall be motivated and empowered to take their health care

needs in their own hands as much as possible. And when all else fails, to

have at their disposal, health care facilities that shall provide

compassionate, affordable, effective basic and advanced care. It is

estimated that an African child dies of Malaria every 30 seconds. It is even

more shocking when you realize that Malaria and other infectious diseases

like, Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and Cholera can be prevented, controlled and

treated. Certainly, lack of awareness and limited resources make it

difficult for people to protect themselves and their families from these

dreadful diseases.

The Foundation launched a pilot comprehensive Malaria and Infectious Disease

Control and Prevention Program at Juaben, Ghana, West Africa in the summer

of 2005. In the subsequent years, the program has been expanded to include

ten other villages.

WAHF has worked with these communities to raise awareness on how to prevent

Malaria and other infectious disease through its didactic health educational

seminars ; provided the communities with life saving information on how to

recognize the early symptoms and signs; and access effective treatment of

these diseases when they are contracted.

A total of seven thousand (7,000) Insecticide Treated Bed-Nets has been

provided freely to these communities. Indoor residual spraying of dwellings

and targeted environmental spraying of insecticide have also been initiated

in some of these communities.

The Foundation has been able to provide tools and implements to the various

communities to de-silt clogged gutters, drain stagnant pools of water and

fill pot holes in an attempt to control the breeding areas of the

vector-mosquito, whose bite can transmit the organism (protozoa) that causes

Malaria.

WAHF has laid down an ambitious and comprehensive public health educational

program. It aspires to cover these public health interventions in order to

realize its mission of promoting health through wellness education and

disease prevention.

These include:

Infectious Diseases-Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis,

Hepatitis and Cholera

Maternal and Child Health

Sexually Transmitted diseases

Sanitation/Environmental Health and Personal Hygiene

Immunization/Vaccination

Potable water

Nutrition/Social Behavior

Tobacco, Alcohol/Substance Abuse

Injury Prevention/Vehicular Accidents

The Foundation’s mission can only be realized and expanded by the financial

commitment and contribution of a friend like you. If you are unable to

attend the function, you can still support us with a tax-deductible

contribution. Please make checks payable to WAHF or go to the Foundation’s

secure website www.wahealthfoundation.org to make your charitable donation.

Please contact Dr Bernard Osei-Tutu at 718-826-1355 if you have any

questions. I look forward to seeing you on May 7, 2011 at WAHF Benefit

Dinner and Concert.

Source - Bernard Osei-Tutu, M.D (INTERIM SECRETARY WAHF)