How does a group know if their efforts are making a difference in Haiti? Here is one example. Recently we had an inquiry about setting up a malnutrition program at our clinic. So we were challenged to estimate the degree of the problem. Fortunately (and unusually) this is the kind of question we can actually answer rather quickly. Our clinic has a computer based record system in which we can search patient records and look for diagnoses such as "MALNUTRITION". We saw that the number of cases had dropped wonderfully in 2010. Seven cases in the first quarter of the year, three the second quarter, none at all for the rest of the year. This was a most encouraging result to see, even while granting the seasonal nature of such afflictions. It challenges us to keep working. And to even dream of a Haiti where all the children grow up healthy and well.
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