New York City, May 1, 2004 ? The Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) and the Christian Church Disciples of Christ’s Week of Compassion (WOC) awarded the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) two grants totalling $8000 to conduct health crisis prevention training in the bateyes of Monte Plata, Dominican Republic.

?These grants, $5000 from the CMMB and $3000 from the WOC, will help save many lives, by building the capacity of local health promoters to train and educate their communities about health wellness and basic disease prevention techniques,? said Ulrick Gaillard, Executive Director of the Batey Relief Alliance.

CMMB empowers local healthcare practitioners by providing access to basic healthcare training, which incorporates local culture and resources. The WOC partners with international groups to deliver health care in different underdeveloped countries around the world.

The training program, which started in March, is taking place inside seven bateyes, including El Bosque, Cinco Casas, Payabo, Payabo, Cruce de la Jagua, Triple Ozama and La Mina, where BRA has, for the most part, established a permanent health care delivery system. The program is coordinated with BRA’s local member organization, Servicio Social de Iglesias Dominicana (SSID).

At least 500,000 young children die every year in Latin America. Approximately one-third of these deaths can be easily prevented and treated. USAID has found that training health workers, for example, to diagnose and treat pneumonia in children is an intervention that can significantly reduce deaths from that disease.

The batey populations suffer inordinately from extreme poverty and the lack of access to basic health care, preventive health education and training. Fertility rates reach as high as 4.0, well above the national average of 2.8. Only 1.2% of the women reported using protective means against unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections. Although the national HIV infection rate is 1%, 5% of the batey population is infected. Batey inhabitants also suffer from various diseases due to the consumption of contaminated water, mismanagement of shared latrines, lack of hygiene and health services, and their inability to resolve these problems on their own. Families and children, as a result, suffer from high infant mortality, diarrheal diseases, respiratory infections, intestinal parasites, among others. ?In these cases, it is highly beneficial for the communities, that have so very little to afford health care or expensive medicines, to use cost-effective means, such as preventive healthcare training, to control major health problems,? added Gaillard.

BRA will train 50 health promoters to identify health crisis sources, develop health crisis prevention strategies, and conduct follow-ups. More than 7000 adults and children will receive instructions and information, through training and workshops, on how to best reduce risks of contracting preventable diseases.

This project is part of BRA?s humanitarian health intervention in the bateyes. Other BRA?s projects include a mobile health clinic providing permanent health care at Batey Cojobal, a medical center in construction at Batey Cinco Casas, a Blindness Prevention program, distribution of essential medicines and medical supplies to member organizations, placement of volunteers and annual medical missions.

CMMB has been a major supporter of BRA?s work in the bateyes. Each year, BRA receives from the organization an average US $2.5 million in donated medicines and medical supplies, and support in volunteers to work at the mobile health clinic. “We are glad we can too play a small role in some of your efforts to bring help and hope to the people of Hispaniola, “said Johnny Wray, Executive Director of the WOC.

BRA encourages you too to support this important project by making a tax-deductible money donation payable to: Batey Relief Alliance, P.O. Box 300565, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230. You may also make an online secure donation by clicking on our Donate Now! or Paypal button at www.bateyrelief.org.