nr. eers een vir: te ME ge eee ye Reeerieaesd Fe aen BESTteaneer rage rePan INTRODUCTION _At this time, there is no health education effort aseociated with the Marshall Islands Study. Dr. Jan Naidu (Safety and Environmental Protection, Brookhaven National Laboratory) has begun a well-received program to explain the effects of radiation in man. A companion effort mounted by the Medical Program will be directed towards education for the most common pathologic conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, malnutrition, -and dental problems). This will help the Marshallese understand the relationship of exposure to radioactive material in perspective with their overall health. To be successful, the program must involve Marshallese, as much as possible, from the beginning. In fact, the program should eventually be run entirely by Marshallese, with BNL personnel serving only in an advisory capacity. Competent indigenous health facilitators can be developed more easily than almost any other allied health profession with a minimum dollar investment. There is considerable interest now in expanding the Marshall IslandsStudy. This is an ideal time to begin an entirely new thrust. It has been shown in the past that the people do not understand BNL's role and responsibility without ongoing meetings and explanations. This would assure that need is met in a structured, responsible manner. es ee ee ee ee ee ao‘ paisa ed a a retfiend Piedue Rie Be Boe ee : ern ORY ae =nt #7 gS ct ee he