Health for All was initially developed by Dr. David Mark Jones the doctors, staff and patients at the Bridge and Littlebourne Health Centres, Canterbury. Aiming to "preserve health and relieve sickness and suffering in the less developed countries of the world" it supports partnership projects in India and Africa.

Working in Bihar, India, in partnership with People First, a local Indian NGO, successful developments have included bringing nurse and doctor clinics to many villages, supporting health education and immunization programmes and poverty alleviation through women's self-help groups. Recent work with UNICEF has led to an opportunity to develop a "model project" for rural health care in Bihar.

Most recently, Health for All has been working in partnership with The Tigray Health Bureau in Ethiopia to support rural health programmes aiming to reduce maternal and child mortality.

Health for All is also active in promoting the idea of "partnership projects" to assist in holistic health improvements in the developing world".

The last year has seen Health for All continue to work with partners in both India and Ethiopia.
In India we are working closely with UNICEF to ensure that the standards of health care provided are as high as possible and also that our work supports the development goals of the local heath service. In particular, the work with Women’s Groups in the villages goes from strength to strength and is offering families a real chance to help themselves out of poverty.

Doctors and Midwives from Kent have continued to visit Tigray, Ethiopia on a regular basis, supporting the Tigray Health Bureau reduce maternal and childhood deaths in one of the poorest parts of Africa.

Ethiopia Midwifery Project

The midwifery training visits to Tigray have now settled into a pattern of twice a year (Spring and Autumn) when groups of four midwives from East Kent visit the midwifery schools in Mekele and Axum and two health centres in the rural areas of Nebelet and Mai Kinetal. It is such a privilege to work with these students who show such enthusiasm and willingness to learn. The training programme is developing and the students have been taught practical skills in neonatal resuscitation, management of labour, postpartum haemorrhage, shoulder dystocia, breech delivery, use of partograms and the recognition of obstructed labour. It is encouraging to see students grow in confidence and that the training continues between visits. The first group of students have graduated as midwives and are now working throughout Ethiopia.

The gifts of equipment have been well received and in addition to teaching aids, back packs containing basic midwifery equipment were supplied for the Health Extension Workers who travel between the villages and Health Posts. The numbers of deliveries conducted by the Health Extension Workers is increasing along with the confidence in their skills and training.

Report - Another major change in the partnership is the inclusion of another Health Centre at Mai Kinetal with its Health Posts into the partnership. There is evidence emerging of an improvement in the level of skills and knowledge of the grassroots Health Extension Workers. They have now a much greater understanding of the third stage of delivery and of neonatal resuscitation. This is beautifully reflected by the local population who are increasingly placing their trust in them over the more traditional birth attendants to deliver their babies. The two communities of Nebelet and Mai Kinetal are extremely remote with poor health provision but the partnership has already demonstrated that this can be changed. The need for improved transportation, water and electricity supplies and the continuing support through training and education are just examples as to how this can be achieved.

The time spent with them in the villages was most rewarding. Examining many patients and with the brief histories was taken and was of help in the diagnosis and treatment of many villagers. Most commonly was malnourishment and its consequences.

While in Bihar the majority of time with the health team in the villages, the work the team does of providing primary care and health education to the villages was impressive.

New Vehicle, Bihar - This past year has seen major fundraising in the UK to replace the vehicle that the Health Team in Bihar have been using for nearly ten years. Extreme heat, the annual monsoon and regular use on the awful and often non-existent roads in Bihar had made this a necessity! John Rofe, a Forest of Blean Rotarian and enthusiastic supporter of Health for All, led the fundraising and then travelled to Bihar in February to present the four wheel drive vehicle to the Health Team.

Accommodation in Bihar