The first of a weekly series of similar actions took place between 11 – 12 December 2010, organised jointly by the Embassy to Angola of the Federation of Autonomous Priories of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta ( KMFAP ) and the structures in Luanda Province of the MPLA ( the party in power in Angola ).

This activity, called “A Friendly Smile“, consisted of a workshop about dental hygiene for children and also of the medical observation of those children, in order to detect possible illnesses or other health problems. After the action packed luncheon was offered to all of the present children.

Since early morning mothers with their children started gathering around the elementary school, where this event took place, and also around the Femeraid Inflatable Mobile Hospital.

After the first "triage" 91 children were selected to be submitted to several other medical tests and all of the 91 have been tested for Tuberculosis, 86 of them were tested for Hepatitis B, 18 were tested for Malaria, 11 children were tested for Salmonella and 9 had their urine tested.

6 children were sent to the Hospital and 36 children received treatment locally as well as medicines offered by our Embassy ( Antibiotics, other oral and eye medicines, bronchial medicines and antipyretics ).

RESULTS OF THE MEDICAL EXAMS AND STATISTICS

Health problems found and number of children affected:

During the next week-ends of December 2010 and January 2011 other similar medical actions will take place in Angola.