Lau Valley SDA Church Trains Facilitators for Health Risk Assessment and Intervention

Lau Valley SDA Church in the Solomon Islands, recently conducted a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) ambassador facilitators training from February 26 to March 2, 2023. The training aimed to empower church members to detect diabetes and related illnesses early and intervene as soon as possible.

Initiated and conducted by Dr Gad Koito who is the 10000 toes Coordinator & Trainer for the Solomon Islands Missoin, the training is part of an ongoing 10000 toes activity, which seeks to equip churches and communities with basic knowledge and skills to turn the tide on diabetes and related illnesses. The objective of the training was to equip the church community with health assessment tools, such as BP machine, glucometer, scale, tape measure, and lifestyle intervention messages and activities to address the risks identified.

A total of 29 church members were trained in basic knowledge and skills to do health assessments and provide lifestyle interventions. They can now take height and weight and calculate Body Mass Index (BMI), as well as waist circumference. They can also take and read blood pressure using a blood pressure machine and identify those with high-risk blood pressure. Additionally, they can take and read blood sugar using a blood sugar machine and identify those with high-risk blood sugar levels. Furthermore, they can provide basic lifestyle intervention messages and activities to low-risk individuals and refer those identified with high-risk BP, BSL, and BMI for clinical intervention.

According to Dr Koito, the training has been a success and has equipped the Lau Valley SDA Church with the knowledge and skills to identify common non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, and provide basic lifestyle interventions through the NEWSTART program. The church can also use the 10000 toes strategy as medical missionary work, to help enhance the mission of the church in the community, providing whole-person health.