NGO Congo-Kodomokikin (Congo child fund) donates school supplies to orphan kids and other in need, kinshasa, DRC.

On March 17, 2009 our team organized a meeting with those kids that we support for their education since 2007. A day before, kids were given a paper each to write down their dreams and draw a picture of their face to be shown to their japanese sponsors. Many want to be either doctors, engineers or mechanics . we shared some drinks and donated notebboks, pens and pencils we brought from japan. Most of them are working hard and having good results at school.

(Le 17 mars 2009, notre equipe a organise une rencontre avec les enfants dont nous sponsorisons l'education a kinshasa depuis 2007. La veille, un papier a ete remis a chacun pour y ecrire son reve et dessiner sa face; cela pour etre montre a leurs sponsors japonais. Certains veulent devenir medecins, ingenieurs ou mecaniciens. nous leur avons donne des cahiers, stylos et crayons.Presque tous travaillent tres bien a l'ecole).

News about our scientific and volunteer trip to Congo DRC/africa, march 2009

Lubumbashi university, March 18-21, 2009.
I and my boss from kochi university-japan,prof Suganuma, visited DRC to start a collaboration between our department of Environmental and occupational health, Kochi Medical school, with the faculty of medicine of University of lubumbashi in south Congo DRC. After meeting kinshasa university president and visited university hospital, hopital general, Ecuries clinic and clinique Ngaliema, we flew to Lubumbashi where we gave conferences and had meetings with local academical authorities. A need for a fruitful collaboration between our unversities was expressed by the staff of University of Lubumbashi, not only in the filed of occupational heatlth but other domains as well.
(Nous venions de sejourner en RD Congo pour une mission de service qui consistait a demarrer une collaboration entre notre departement de medecine environnementale et sante au travail d'une part,et la faculte de medecine de l'universite de Lubumbashi de l'autre.Avant cela, nous avons visite l'universite de kinshasa, les cliniques universitaires, ecuries clinic et la clinique ngaliema a Kinshasa,avant de nous rendre a lubumbashi. Sur place, nous avons tenu deux conferences et avons eu des rencontres et reunions avec les autorites acaemiques locales qui ont souhaite que la collaboration entre nos deux universites soit aussi elargie a d'autres facultes,autres que la medecine. Un article sur notre mission a ete publie par le journal 'le potentiel' du 21 mars 2009. L'accueil chaleureux et l'hospitalite congolaise etaient au rendez-vous. disons grand merci a nos hotes).
Dr Ngatu Roger Nlandu
PS: l'evenement insolite de ce bref sejour a ete le fait de retrouver dans la salle de conference, a l'universite de lubumbashi, un ancien collegue de ma promotion (UNIKIN) que j'ai vu en reve environs 1 mois avant de recevoir l'invitation du recteur.C'etait un grand temoignage pour mon boss qui, lui, en etait au courant depuis fevrier( voir photo ci-bas).

Publication2-presentation at ICOH 2009 conference,march22-27,Cape town, south africa

29th ICOH, International Congress on Occupational Health
March 2009,Cape Town, South Africa.
(Abstract submitted in July 2008, accepted in September 2008)
　　
Title: View-box seminar as a tool to improve Physicians’ Skill in reading
Chest radiographs related to Pneumoconioses

Ngatu roger Nlandu, MD1; Shun Suzuki1, Narufumi Suganuma, MD, PhD1; Yukinori Kusaka, MD, PhD2.
1. Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi University Graduate Medical School.
Kohasu, Oko-cho. Nankoku 8505. Tel / Fax: +81 88 880 2407. Japan.
2. Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Fukui University, Japan.

Abstract:
Objective
The ILO / WHO Global Programme on Elimination of Silicosis, adopted in 2003, aimed at establishing an international co-operation for elimination of Silicosis as occupational health problem by 2030. In 2006, cluster of environmental mesothelioma among inhabitants near an asbestos factory triggered social concern for asbestos in Japan and general practitioners as well as occupational physicians recognized the impact of asbestos. Numerous cases of misinterpretation of radiographs often occur, leading to biased diagnosis. This intervention trial was aimed at improving local physicians’ skill in Pneumoconioses CXR interpretation..
Method
Twenty-five physicians of Kochi, Japan, underwent two reading-tests using 12 test-radiographs, before and after a training session with standard films of ILO 2000 International classification of pneumoconioses chest radiographs, conducted by a NIOSH B-reader.
Result

Although variability has been observed among readers, the general trend was towards improvement. 80% (20/25) of readers had a good Sensitivity for the variable “small opacity” (≥ 0.70) in post-intervention reading-test, compared to 32% (8/25) before, and a very little increase readers with good specificity score (≥0.70) was observed, 20%(5/25) and 16%(4/25) respectively. However, for “plaque”, an increase of number of readers with higher score of Sensitivity and Specificity was observed for the intermediate sub-category (0.50 – 0.69). Mean values of Sensitivity and Specificity got increased, especially Sensitivity for “small opacity” (0.89 before and 0.93 after) and “plaque” (0.60 and 0.73 respectively), and Specificity for “profusion”(0.56 – 0.59). Mc Nemar’s Chi2 test was　significant for sensitivity for plaque (P=0.0013), marginally significant for Specificity for plaque (P=0.1701) and Sensitivity for small opacity (P=1573), not significant for Specificity for“small opacity” (P=0.4795).

Conclusion

This intervention corroborates with other previously published works, stressing the importance of use of ILO standard films for interpreting CXR related to pneumoconioses. Even non-experienced individuals, if well trained under controlled conditions,may read CXR related to those occupational diseases; but excluding standard films while performing CXR interpretation

can restrict reading performance.

international OSH/PAOT workshop in Tokyo, Feb2-3,2009

Last Feb2-3 we attended a workshop in Tokyo. Participants were professors, doctors and nurses working in the field of occupational safety and health, from Korea and Japan. At the end, different groups gave a presentation of risk assessment and actions proposal for small enterprises or factories. Finally, my group entertained the participants with african jambo dance. It was an wnderful experience for all of us.

Dr Ngatu roger and JAAM band members share wonderful mini-concert moment and toys with japanese kids, Kagami-cho,Kochi-Feb2009

We were invited by the kagami kindergarten staff to entertain the kids living in the area at Kagami-cho, Konan-city, here in Kochi prefecture.
A part from music performance in which japanese, american and african songs and games have been performed, we shared toys with them. It was an interesting experience as all of kids and

parents could have a harmonious give and take or exchange with us.

New group of congolese orphan kids receiving schorlarship donation fron Japan

In September 2008, a new group of 11 orphan kids from Limete city, Kinshasa, received scholarship donations from japanese donors. Almost all of them have quit school 1 or 2 years ago because of non payment of school tuition. Earlier, in May 2008, 3 other female orphan kids have received support from 3 donors from kochi , Japan. The donations were payed by a japanese volunteer who visited congo and the kids' schools.

lips/Congokodomokikin volunteer work in Africa and Japan

-LIgue des volontaires pour la Promotion de la Sante , LIPS and Congo Child Fund

LIgue pour la Promotion de la Sante , LIPS, and Congo Child Fund's volunteer work as reported by Dr Ngatu Roger Nlandu, co-founder.

"Every single human being is the image of God, the expression of His inner

nature. Caring and serving humanity, starting from the family-society- nation

and world, is our common reason of life that gives us the highest value among

all creatures".