The World Health Awareness Team (WHATorg) is a non-profit organization that promotes wellness in communities focusing on health education, public awareness of health risks and prevention, for people who are part of groups in need of healthcare assistance. It was created by Dr. Delcina Augustin on February 24, 2017.
Dr. Augustin founded the organization out of an early passion for people welfare that prompted her to address a few important healthcare needs that she had witnessed were lacking in some instances during her years in the medical field.
Dr. Augustin became involved in non-profit at elementary age. At 16, she joined the Catholic Youth Ministry because its mission was to empower young girls to make better choices. Dr. Augustin was told that she impacted many young girls’ lives, especially those already in difficult social situations due to poverty and unwanted pregnancy. Dr. Augustin carried that conviction to her adult life. She continued to volunteer in other non-profit agencies. These experiences led her to professional education. She earned a Doctorate in Public Health. These studies gave her a better understanding of the work needed in her community and those she was eager to be part of and help improve.
Seven years ago, Dr. Augustin was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic. It was shocking news. However, through hard work and dedication she was able to maintain an active lifestyle. Dr. Augustin decided then to campaign against diabetes while educating the public on how to manage and prevent most preventable diseases.
Dr. Augustin is also dedicated to helping the homeless and the veteran community. She spent two decades working at the Veteran’s Health Administration treating and teaching veterans in the management and prevention of preventable diseases. She became a mind-body-medicine coach and health facility trainer. During that time, she also realized that homelessness seems inevitable in the veteran population; therefore, it became obvious that the homeless be included in her campaign for healthy communities.
Dr. Augustin felt that WHATorg could gather people as passionate and compassionate as her to work together at making a difference one day at a time with the goal of creating healthier communities.
Our Mission: Promoting Healthy Communities One Day At A Time
At World Health Awareness Team, we value the health of our community. Everyone deserves access to healthcare. The World Health Awareness Team (WHAT) promotes the fight against breast cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure through systematic screening sessions at the general population level. It also intends to ensure the care of girls up to 19 years of age in the event of pregnancy in the intervention areas. This management is reflected in prenatal and postnatal consultations and counseling sessions to reduce future unwanted pregnancies. WHATorg educates the general population including Veterans to screen and manage diabetes, high blood pressure and other health prevention practices.
Aims and Objectives
Primary objective
- Reducing the number of cases of early pregnancy among girls up to 19 years of age.
- Help people in the intervention areas to be screened for breast cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. Specific objectives
- Assist young girls aged 19 years at most to prevent and manage cases of early pregnancy.
- Conduct CCC (Communication for Behavior Change) sessions with these girls
- Screening for breast cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure in the general population Country (also provide a 3 months wellness care for those newly diagnosed of cancer)
Current Location
WHAT currently operates in two countries: the United States of America and the Republic of Haiti. There are allies in Dominican Republic and Canada.
Areas of intervention in Haiti.
At the level of Haiti, three zones in three different departments will be covered:
A) Peguy City (Petion City, West)
B) Jérémie (Jérémie, Grand ‘Anse)
(C) Commune Mole Saint Nicolas (Mole Saint Nicolas, North West)
Areas of intervention
(A) Women’s health
Target population: Young women up to 19 years of age
B) Cardiovascular diseases (diabetes, hypertension, cancer)
Target population: the entire population
Accomplishment:
2016 mas screening in Orlando, Florida -400 screened 120 referrals to
community care
Outcomes
A total of 400 people participated, and 120 were found to need further testing, treatment, and counseling for diabetes, and 50 never knew that they had diabetes. As for hypertension, 150 were required referrals to seek medical treatment or return to their primary care provider, and ten did not know of their diagnosis.
2019 West Palm Beach – 1000 screened and 200 referrals to community care
Haiti Visits:
Members of “WHAT” visit Haiti three times a year, conduct mass screening, distribute food and essentials, and provide relief after natural disasters.
“WHAT” sponsors 100 children from “universe des petit” a year. The school was closing due to no funding; the children would have been left with no education. Some of the children are orphans. They have no means of attending other schools “WHAT” supported three consecutive graduations after completing the third year of kindergartens. The goal is to expand the school to go beyond kindergartens.