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)