U.S. Soldiers Partner with Ghana's National Disaster Management Organization to Implement Malaria Outreach Program

A team of U.S. Soldiers from the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion, an Army Reserve unit out of Connecticut, joined forces with Ghana's National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the North Dakota National Guard to combat malaria in local communities. The mission was part of the MEDFLAG 11 exercise, a 10-day collaborative training and humanitarian civic assistance program sponsored by U.S. Army Africa. The team, led by Capt. Jarrod Lynn and Sgt. Bethany Seymour, partnered with NADMO personnel to educate communities about the risks of malaria and promote behavior change through cost-benefit analysis.

Key Takeaways:

• The 411th Civil Affairs Battalion partnered with NADMO and the North Dakota National Guard to implement a malaria outreach program as part of the MEDFLAG 11 exercise.
• The program aimed to educate communities about the risks of malaria and promote behavior change through cost-benefit analysis.
• The team held talks at schools, public areas, and humanitarian civic assistance sites to reach an estimated 400 NADMO volunteers.
• The volunteers received training in basic first aid skills, including recognizing and treating burns, heat-related injuries, bleeding, and CPR.
• NADMO has a complex disaster relief system that uses a network of Disaster Volunteer Groups as frontline responders in communities across the regions.
• About 1 million people died in 2008 due to malaria, with children in sub-Saharan Africa being the largest affected group.
• The female Anopheles mosquito transmits the malaria parasite, not flies, dirty conditions, or eating fatty foods.
• The outreach program focused on appealing to the practical side of people, highlighting the cost-benefit analysis of using insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

Statistics:

• 1 million people died in 2008 due to malaria (Center for Disease Control).
• 15% of children in sub-Saharan Africa are affected by malaria (USAID).
• 400 NADMO volunteers received basic first aid training from Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Ferrucci and Spc. Steve Comeau.
• 10 days of collaborative training and sharing of medical expertise were part of the MEDFLAG 11 exercise.
• 4 members of the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion were part of the team that implemented the malaria outreach program.

Sources:

• The North Dakota National Guard
• United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Center for Disease Control
• Ghana's National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO)
• U.S. Army Africa