Rotarians working to improve world health



This Rotarian Action Group is not an agency of, or controlled by, Rotary International


World Health Fairs - Doesn't sound very exciting, does it? Not like population, water, micro-financing or even wine appreciation. But it can be just as meaningful and fun. Here are some of my experiences:
  1. I am at a health fair in Kamchatka. An old lady approaches me and thanks me for coming all the way from Japan (I didn't have the heart to tell her I am from Alaska). She gives me a small icon and asks God to bless my work. I carry that little paper icon to this day to remind me what the health fair means to the underprivileged all over the world.


  2. We are on a hospital van, purchased with an RI matching grant, traveling with 8 doctors from Vladivostok to a small town 5 hours away. The doctors work long hours each day but spend at least one weekend each month volunteering in remote villages. We find long lines of patients, many of whom are seriously ill and referred back to Vladivostok for treatment. A few lives are saved today.


  3. We are in Villahermosa, Mexico, where the Rotary health fair coordinators have convinced the regional health department to make the Rotary health fair a part of their budget. The health fair and fiesta runs for 3 days with thousands attending. The local schools are shut down so the students can attend the health seminars and report on what they learn at the 100+ information booths.


  4. We are in Yakutsk, Russia where the Rotary HF concept has been adopted by the City, university, schools and hospitals. It seems everyone is putting on these X§ô health education and early disease detection events throughout the city.


  5. We are finally home where my own Homer Kachemak Bay, Alaska USA Rotary Club has been organizing a community health fair for 22 years. It has become an annual one stop center of health information and tests for our community of 5,000. On average more than half the population of our city attends.


So I hope this give you a little better understanding of the power of this project. It can literally transform the health of a community and it can be a lot of fun.


Best of health,

Steve Yoshida
PDG 5010 Alaska, Yukon, Eastern Russia