Green Cross therapy camps operate across the region affected by the Chernobyl disaster and chemical weapon stockpile areas. In 2010, 159 children in Belarus, 386 in Russia and 50 from Ukraine were participants in therapy camps, and since 1994, tens of thousands of children have benefited from their stay at Green Cross Therapy Camps. Young people attend the therapy camps for at least four weeks of rest, medical and social care, education and recreation. The majority of children born in the Chernobyl region since 1986 have chronic problems with their respiratory, digestive and endocrine systems; thus the camp is an opportunity for them to receive treatment and prescriptions for these aliments. Although the benefits to the children's physical health are quite significant, the effect of the therapy camps on the children's attitudes and confidence levels is also worth noting.
Mother and child project : Belarus, Ukraine, Russia
The specific aim of the Mother and Child Project is to improve the health of mothers and their children through focused medical attention and by showing them methods for protecting their families from the effects of radioactivity. During a 21 day stay, mothers learn about food growth and preparation techniques that reduce radioactive contamination. Information sessions about basic human health and nutrition, legal advice, and family psychology are also offered. The positive response to this programme is overwhelming. In parallel to this project, family clubs have been established in rural locations, providing mothers with techniques for dealing with stress and improving family relations. They learn best practices for reducing nuclear contamination levels, and also receive training and information regarding their legal rights. Above all, the family clubs are a venue for mothers to find a supportive network of women who face similar challenges every day. In Belarus, there are currently three rural family clubs with 231 members. Green Cross Russia sponsors eight family clubs and Green Cross Ukraine has 291 members. Moldova currently has 450 mothers in their program.
Individual health related programmes : Belarus and Ukraine
The Family Medicine Programme in Belarus is geared the development of public infrastructure for protecting the Chernobyl population from the continuing process of health and social degradation. In 2006, the Family Medicine Project evaluated the health of 16912 people and integrated their medical records into the information database "info clinic". By using "info clinic" software, the long-term healthcare that a patient receives will be more consistent and thorough. Health for the Future is the name of a new and innovative programme orchestrated by Green Cross Ukraine. Like many of the health related projects in the SocMed Programme, Health for the Future liaises with the established state healthcare system to support and strengthen their efforts. In an effort to provide thorough research on the state of children's health and all aspects of chronic pediatric pathology, 917 children were examined in the past year and given medical advice.
The Dracula Project
The Dracula Project is an endeavour for Green Cross Ukraine that addresses the dental needs of mothers, children and youths living in rural areas of the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. Through research, information and prevention measures, project “Dracula” aims to stop the spread of dental diseases among children and adolescents. Due to their rural location, dental care and education is difficult and expensive to obtain. The Dracula programme has already improved dental care for several thousand children in the region, and in 2010 alone 1796 children were helped.
The Green Island Facility
Green Cross Belarus is proud to announce the development of Green Island, a facility in Belarus that will be the new location of Green Cross therapy camps, workshops and mother and child projects. Green Island will work in two complimentary directions: ecological education and social and medical rehabilitation. This project, initiated by Green Cross Belarus, is run in partnership with the SocMed programme.
Vietnam
In Vietnam the cause for concern is not radiation but the birth defects associated with the highly toxic Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War. The SocMed Programme offers not only medical care for disabled children (orthopedic devices, rehabilitation, after treatment), but also social help for the families. More than 1500 people took already part in both parts of this program. In August 2010 a little delegation of treated persons attended along with representatives of Green Cross, the event “Openair auf dem Bundesplatz.” On this occasion, the SocMed activities in Vietnam could be presented to a bigger audience and this opportunity was used to make the program activities more widely known to the Swiss public. To provide an integrated, holistic approach to its work, children are not one-time recipients of Green Cross benefits, but constant patients until they are able to resume normal lives. Green Cross works with the VIETCOT Centre to provide two training seminars per year for professionals and specialists from various Vietnamese orthopedic and rehabilitation centers.
25th anniversary of Chernobyl
Monday 26 April 2011 will mark the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. We at Green Cross commemorate this day while the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan continues to unfold. Green Cross International is active on site in the Chernobyl affected areas to help the impacted communities through our SocMed programme. Green Cross Switzerland has initiated a study on the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster on the mental health, particularly the quality of life and the neuropsychological state of impacted populations. The findings are grim because there have been no health improvements in the 25 years after the Chernobyl disaster occurred.
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