Caring for newcomer children
Dr. Tanina Mokrani is a pediatrician and serves as the director of refugee and immigrant health at a community health clinic in Memphis, Tennessee. She sees about 500 new refugee children every year, mostly from Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Somalia, and Sudan.
Responding to a tragedy
Drowning is a major problem among immigrant communities in Dr. Mokrani’s area. In 2023, three refugee children died from drowning in separate incidents. An additional child survived but had severe brain damage, which devastated his family. Dr. Mokrani had previously used MHI resources about COVID-19 and sexual and reproductive health. She turned to MHI once again to look for resources on drowning prevention.
Resources that made a difference
Dr. Mokrani found materials on the MHI website addressing heat and water safety in several of the languages her patients needed. She decided to share these resources with her patients during the health assessments that are required for refugees after they arrive, and again 6 months later.
A community health worker at Dr. Mokrani’s clinic uses the materials to start conversations with parents about water safety and encourage them to sign up for classes at the local community center, which were started in partnership with the clinic.
Since Dr. Mokrani’s clinic started the water safety conversations and the lessons at the community center, her city has not seen a single drowning in refugee communities. Parents and families feel more confident enjoying outdoor recreation activities in the
summer months.
MHI Resources Aid in Drowning Prevention
MHI’s Summer Safety collection, created in partnership with the International Rescue Committee, was essential for Dr. Mokrani’s drowning prevention initiative. Without these resources, she would have had to spend time and money creating her own materials for her clinic, which would have slowed the community health worker’s efforts and potentially delayed patient participation in water safety classes. Having translated, culturally validated information helps immigrant families make informed choices about how to enjoy summer activities safely.
Note: Some personal details have been changed in this story.