One of the challenges that people have here in Ghana is infectious disease. This becomes especially prevelant when you introduce water into the equation. Whether it's drinking, washing, or peeing, all of it requires a sanitary place, hygienic processes, and some common sense in addition to water to make them happen. Many Ghanaians (and even the obrunies - that means white people/foreigners) either don't know, don't care, or take for granted that just because there's water around, it doesn't make it good for the above tasks.The most prevalent of these diseases (behind malaria) is a little bugger called schistosomiasis (aka bilharzia). What is schisto...I don't know how to pronunce the rest? Shis-toh-soh-mi-uh-sis is actually a parasite that comes from a snail that has been introduced to infected poo or pee (see graphic below - it's kind of a chicken and the egg thing). That means a guy with schisto decides to go to the bathroom in the lake, snail absorbs human waste, parasite is released from snail, and infects water around it. You come to stand in the water/gather drinking water/wash your clothes or body and presto; you're now infected! All you have to do is touch the water, the rest is done through the skin. After a few days/weeks, now you have anything from a tummy ache to diarrhea to blood in your urine/poo to distended bellies due to schisto worms. Sweet!
So, how does one get rid of schisto? Simple: 1) take some praziquantal and 2) don't reinfect yourself. Number 2 is always the hardest to teach because it requires cultural change. What if it's just easier to get water from the lake shore rather than paddle out into moving water in the middle of the lake (where the snails don't live)? After all, it's not affecting how well I can plant my yams and sell them. Here in lies the challenge. On March 15th, we'll be talking with a lot of big wigs (Ghana Ministry of Health and World Health Organization) to tackle this issue especially in the villages that don't have access to roads (let alone hospitals). Stay tuned for more Ghana health education action!
I just read 'Switch' and there was an excerpt in the book that made me think of you guys. The specific excerpt was about a guy who had 6 months to go into a Vietnamese village and turn around malnutrition of young children, but of course the problems that caused malnutrition were on a much bigger scale than anything he could effect in 6 years, let alone 6 months. It's a great book, if you get a chance to read it. I'm really inspired by you guys. To give up your life for others is what it's all about it. I know you won't regret it, but to have the courage to take that leap is more than most of us could ever do. We'll be praying for you guys and the results of your success.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kinda words, Big A. I'm glad to see people are tuning into the blog. I hope it's interesting for the readers.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds cool too. I'll try to check it out.