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Upstate partners with ENSPICE Children's Foundation to address nutritional needs of young victims of natural disasters

Upstate partners with ENSPICE Children's Foundation to address nutritional needs of young victims of natural disasters

ECF provides comprehensive micronutrient fortification and dietary diversification programs into homes, schools, orphanages, hospitals, refugee camps and areas of devastation following natural disasters.

Leading Upstate’s effort is Mark Polhemus, MD, director of Upstate’s CGHTS. Currently he, along with Peter M. Fitzpatrick, the Delbarton School in Morristown N.J., is working in conjunction with ECF on field studies that include interviewing disaster victims on the effectiveness of a proposed ECF dietary supplement and micronutrient product to meet the required dietary allowance of nutrients for disaster victims in Ecuador, Haiti, and Africa. As part of the study, the researchers would also evaluate how best to package and deliver the product to victims.

According to ECF, collaborative efforts such as this, which combines integrated service learning opportunities for students, nurses, clinicians and public health professionals, will help support future generations of medical service providers in under served regions of the world.

“The ECF is grateful to Dr. Mark Polhemus,” said ECF Founder Frederick T. Murphy, MD, a former army physician and board-certified rheumatologist. “Dr. Polhemus has ongoing research programs focused on developing vaccines, drugs and diagnostics for diseases in the developing world. He has an inveterate interest in expanding these projects to address malnutrition through micronutrient fortification programs in collaboration with ECF.”

“Disasters, disease outbreaks, civil unrest and poverty are all associated with food shortages, causing malnutrition and other nutritional concerns, and children are often the most affected. ENSPICE Children’s Foundation is addressing this critical need and we are happy to be partnering with them in this initiative,” Polhemus said.

Murphy created a micronutrient fortification product (ENSPICE) as a way to combat malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency. When added to already prepared foods, ENSPICE provides the recommended daily allowances of nutrients in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines.

Visit ENSPICE for more information about its three-phase strategy to combat malnutrition, stunting and micronutrient deficiencies and to get involved.

Upstate’s Center for Global Health & Translational Science is a multidisciplinary, applied research center, engaging faculty from the Central New York area to work in partnership to improve the delivery of health care globally. Staff is engaged in center-based and field-research projects in several countries around the world, including Ecuador, Thailand, Kenya and the United States. To support the Center’s initiatives, visit the Center for Global Health Engagement Opportunities Fund administered by the Upstate Foundation.

Caption: Mark Polhemus, MD, is leading Upstate’s initiative with ENSPICE Children’s Foundation (ECF), an international foundation that is addressing nutritional needs of children brought on by disasters.

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