CHILD RECUPERATION CENTERS

EVALUATION COVERS THE PERIOD FROM 3/23/77 TO 5/1/78 AND IS BASED ON A 1977 CONIN REPORT, USING ONSITE VISITS AND MEETING WITH CONIN STAFF. BOTH COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT, THE PROGRAM EVALUATING THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF THE CHILDREN A ND THE NUTRITION TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PARENTS AND VOLUNTEERS, ARE UNDERWAY. UNDER THE EVALUATION PROGRAM, TECHNICAL NORMS FOR MEDICAL AND PSYCHO-MOTOR ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE CENTERS WERE REVIEWED AND ARE NOW BEING REVISED. AN INFORMATION SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO COLLECT DATA TO BE USED IN MEASURING THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH OF THE FIVE CENTERS IN SANTIAGO. TRAINING PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR ALL PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN THESE CENTERS, AS WELL AS AUXILIARY PERSONNEL AND VOLUNTEERS. DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS OF THE INSTITUTE OF NUTRITION AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY, THE NUMBER OF TRAINING PROGRAMS FELL BELOW EXPECTATIONS. THUS FAR, 180 VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED. A SEMINAR IS NOW PLANNED FOR 6/78 TO TRAIN PROFESSIONALS FROM CENTERS THROUGHOUT CHILE. BY 1/79, THESE CENTERS WILL ALSO BE USED BY PARENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. OUTSIDE SANTIAGO, THE RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS PROVED DIFFICULT. IN MANY AREAS, NO ONE WAS RECRUITED. THE AUTHOR RECOMMENDS THAT THE PROJECT BE EXTENDED UNTIL 12/79. PROJECT EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATED THAT CURATIVE HEALTH AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS MUST BE COORDINATED WITH PREVENTATIVE PROGRAMS. THUS, THE EDUCATION PROGRAM AND OTHER SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE PARENTS (JOB LOCATION, FAMILY PLANNING, ETC.) ARE ESSENTIAL SO THAT THE RECOVERED CHILD WILL NOT SUFFER RELAPSES. OVERALL, THE RECUPERATION CENTERS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT RECORD OF SUCCESS. OF THE CHILDREN WHO HAVE ENTERED, 80% LEFT WITH THE WEIGHT OF A NORMAL CHILD.