Afghan docs put PRT’s ‘strong food’ to test

QALAT. Afghanistan -- Capt. (Dr.) James Arnold shows medical professionals from the Zaubl province how to make "strong food." "Strong food" is a vitamin enriched high calories food supplement used to combat malnutrition. The Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team medical staff is working with local heath officials to combat the main causes of the extremely high infant mortality in the area such as unsanitary water supplies and malnutrition. Dr. Arnold is deployed from Anderson Air Force Base, Guam. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

Afghan docs put PRT’s ‘strong food’ to test

SHAJOY. Afghanistan -- Dr. Zamarai Sultan begins treating a malnourished Afghan child with "strong food" a vitamin enriched and calorie heavy supplement. The Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team is working with local heath officials to combat the main causes of the areas extremely high infant mortality. The Shajoy public health administration staff has been using the low-cost and locally produced food supplement to treat more than 400 malnourished children in two months. The doctor said he has seen most patients gain 1 to 1.5 kilograms a week while taking “strong food.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

Afghan docs put PRT’s ‘strong food’ to test

QALAT. Afghanistan -- Members of the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team medical staff discuss how to divide up “strong food” ingredients with local medical professionals from the Zabul province hospitals. "Strong food" is a vitamin enriched high calories food supplement to combat malnutrition. The PRT is working with local heath officials to combat the main causes of the extremely high infant mortality in the area such as unsanitary water supplies and malnutrition. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

Afghan docs put PRT’s ‘strong food’ to test

(Right) Dr. Zamarai Sultan discusses results he has seen using "strong food" over the course of two months to treat malnourished children from the Shajoy public health administration office. "Strong food" is a vitamin enriched high calories food supplement used to combat malnutrition. The Shajoy public health administration staff has been using the low-cost and locally produced food supplement to treat more than 400 malnourished children in two months. The doctor said he has seen most patients gain 1 to 1.5 kilograms a week while taking “strong food.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

Afghan docs put PRT’s ‘strong food’ to test

SHAJOY. Afghanistan -- An Afghan mother gives her daughter a taste of "strong food" a vitamin enriched and calorie heavy supplement. The Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team is working with local heath officials to combat the main causes of the areas extremely high infant mortality. The Shajoy public health administration staff has been using the low-cost and locally produced food supplement to treat more than 400 malnourished children in two months. The doctor said he has seen most patients gain 1 to 1.5 kilograms a week while taking “strong food.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

Afghan docs put PRT’s ‘strong food’ to test

QALAT. Afghanistan -- Zabul Governor Delbar Jan Arman shows his appreciation for the work being done to fight malnutrition by the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team. The team developed "strong food" using local ingredients easily accessible by Afghan medical professionals. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Keith Brown)

Afghan docs put PRT's 'strong food' to test, malnourished children on path to health

Published Oct. 22, 2008
By Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore
U.S. AFCENT News Team

QALAT, Afghanistan -- It might be hard to imagine something as sweet as the center of a peanut butter cup saving lives. But thanks to the ingenuity of the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team medical staff, a four-week regiment of their tasty "strong food" has brought hundreds of malnourished Afghan children back to health.

The PRT members introduced "strong food," known locally as Qavi Ghiza, to the Shajoy hospital two months ago. The area's public health administration staff has been using the low-cost and locally produced food supplement to treat more than 400 malnourished children.

"This program has been going very well and giving positive results; people know about it," said Dr. Zamarai Sultan, Public Health Administration nutrition officer. "It is going to be even more successful in the future."

Dr. Sultan has monitored the "strong food" program in Shajoy closely. In a patient sampling of 60 children, 78 percent have shown positive growth. The doctor said he has seen most patients gain 1 to 1.5 kilograms a week while taking the vitamin enriched and calorie heavy supplement.

"People from this area are very poor," Dr. Sultan said. "They don't have enough money for their baby's special food. As long as we have this kind of program it is going to succeed. Now people know this good thing about the 'strong food;' that is why more patients come in and get this food."

The success of "strong food" in the Shajoy area and a positive backing by Dr. Sultan provided Capt. (Dr.) James Arnold the momentum he needed to expand the program.

"Giving this program to Dr. Sultan has actually been the biggest help to us because he is well invested in it," said Dr. Arnold, deployed from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. "He is a nutritionist; he deals with the malnourishment problem for the entire Zabul province."

Dr. Arnold said Dr. Sultan's positive reputation in the medical field has helped convince his fellow doctors to join the program. "[As] the voice of this project, (he) can better influence anything I can do," he added.

The two doctors met local medical experts with pediatric specialties to go over the results.

"We are trying to make all of our projects Afghan run because we are not going to stay around the long haul," said Dr. Arnold, a native of Grass Valley, Calif. "We [want] to give them something they can do on their own and sustain on their own."

After a demonstration on how to make "strong food," the medical professionals made a batch themselves with ingredients available locally. The concoction was blended using donated mixing sets.

The mixing sets came courtesy of Michael Morgan, an Eagle Scout candidate with Boy Scout Troup 157 out of Salem, Ore.

"Boy Scouts are taught to seek opportunities to help others," said the West Salem High School senior. "I wanted to provide service that was meaningful as I sought to complete my requirements for the obtaining of the rank of Eagle. This project seemed challenging but perfect."

Dr. Arnold applauds the young Mr. Morgan's quest to help malnourished Afghan children.

"I think it is remarkable that a 16-year-old boy saved money and did such a wonderful thing," said the Des Moines University graduate. "It is kind of impressive. It is one of those things I am not sure if he quite understands [the impact of] what we are doing out here. For what he was able to do, we tried to give him the most bang for his buck."

Likewise, Dr. Sultan is grateful for the effort the PRT put into launching the "strong food" program.

"I am very thankful to this team," he said. "This is a very active team, and they have really wanted to work and [it] has been seen."