www.Child-Watch.org

About Child-Watch
Child Watch is an initiative of the Middle East Journal of Family Medicine and was originally formed to assist Iraqi children who are suffering greatly from lack of medical resources and child size devices, as well as the psychological aspects of prolonged warfare.

Since then we find that many of the problems extend to the rest of the Middle East region and indeed the world. There is also a lack of focus globally on child-specific aspects of many medical conditions.

We are taking therefore both an academic and a practical approach to child health. We welcome articles on any topic related to aspects of child health and we also hope to provide practical assistance where possible.

Our first donation has been received from Mr Andrew Currie, of Melbourne, Australia, specifically to assist institutionalized blind girls of Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and we thank Mr Currie for his own initiative.

Please send articles or assistance, to publisher@mejfm.com.

We also welcome your ideas and your advice about effective programs in your own country or region. I thank you all for supporting this initiative.

Steering Committee
Lesley Pocock (Australia) CHAIRPERSON
Dr Thamer Al Hilfy (Iraq)
Dr Abdulrazak Abyad (Lebanon)
Dr Manzoor Butt (Pakistan)
Emeritus Professor John Beasley (USA)


Child-Watch Missions

Pakistan
Blind, institutionalised girls of Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Mission:
Treatment of scabies and other skin infections and infestations
Provision of sewerage (septic tank) to overcome stench and health hazards due to lack of  facilities
Improved diet to prevent malnutrition, anaemia and avoidable health related illness
Screening for TB, asthma, visual deficiencies, hearing deficiencies, iodine deficiency
Provision of appropriate vaccination
Provision of aids for improved learning and mental stimulation (audio books, Braille, music)
Provision of personal supplies for improved health and personal dignity – soap, toothbrushes, sanitary items. 

Iraq
Iraqi families and infants, children with medical needs, orphans and children ‘at risk’

Mission:
Provision of milk formula to impoverished families
Provision of vitamin supplements to all children
Provision of medical supplies to hospitals
Programs to cater to the many needs of orphans and endangered children


“Scholarships for Life”

In the above countries, and elsewhere, young children (from the age of 4) are working in slave conditions to support themselves and their families, and consequently missing out on the chance of a future life, through missing out on an education.

The children are collecting rags and other goods in rubbish dumps, working in garages and factories, picking coffee beans, rolling cigarettes, making carpets, or worse still, forced into slavery and prostitution.

They can also be malnourished, homeless, unloved, unsafe and in moral and physical danger. The youngest and most vulnerable humans should not be paying personally for adults’ inability to create a just and safe world for them. They have lost their childhood and any chance of an improved life.

“Scholarships for Life” is a project to buy these children out of slavery, by paying the family the (usually small) amount the child earns annually and to provide the child with the means to gain an education.

$US2,000 per year will give a child back their life.

The “Scholarships for Life” project will be supervised and vetted by chosen family doctors in the participating countries, and detail of all projects and donations will be listed on the Child-Watch website www.Child-Watch.org.