Malaria Really Does Bite!
Monday, November 26, 2007
A lot has happened in the past week. Although the malaria bed net distribution campaign here in Madagascar is over and has been for a couple of weeks, it seems, my experience with the illness most certainly isn’t. Apparently a mosquito carrying the P. Falciparum strain of malaria, at some point within my two and a half months here, bit me, presumably on one of my two field trips to Morondava. Subsequently I no longer have to wonder what its like to be affected by malaria. I can say with greater authority now that it’s uncomfortable, painful and downright scary.
I discovered I had malaria this weekend while on another fieldtrip, this time I went to the beautiful town of Fulpoint to observe a cyclone response exercise. I had been feeling generally ill for quite some time with bouts of dizziness and headache sending me to the doctor frequently, but, never really revealing the true source of the problem. Finally, after a dizzy and slightly feverish night in Fulpoint followed by a hot and even dizzier morning there I went to the local health center where I did a “rapid test” for malaria. It came out positive, but, I was lucky, I had access to drugs, a comfortable bed and most importantly more support and help than I could ever ask for.
(I would like to use a little of this space to thank all of the amazing people who took time away from their demanding jobs to so kindly help me this week. It will not be forgotten!)
I was unable to observe much of the exercise due to my condition, but, saw a little of the tent camp that had been put up for the “beneficiaries” (local residents who would pretend to be affected by the make believe cyclone). It was quite interesting to see what might be done if a cyclone were actually to hit. The meetings between the partners who would be responding to this make believe cyclone were even more illuminating.
Watching the combined efforts of such a diverse group provided a fascinating lesson about emergency response and the necessity for consummate coordination and communication in such a scenario. The exercise was generally successful, as I was informed by my bedside, but, not without the expected hitches. Those hitches, though, are the very reasons why we conduct such an exercise, I now understand.
Although I could do very little to participate it and was confined to my bed most of the time, I am happy to say the exercise demonstrated once again the resolve and commitment of the Red Cross and the humanitarian community as a whole here. This was confirmed on an even more personal level when my illness was revealed to me and the others attending. I have never experienced more kindness and selflessness than that exhibited by those who came to care for and visit me even despite the great challenges they were facing in the exercise.
Upon return to Tana on Wednesday I was taken to the “hospital militaire” where I was once again tested—this time I was given a more thorough “smear test”. The test revealed I was afflicted by the particularly grave strain of malaria common in Madagascar. I was then prescribed a new medicine and put on immediate bed rest and have since become a Tom Cruise movie connoisseur (mostly because the “Tom Cruise Selection” seems to be the only English language DVD we can find here).
This whole experience has indeed made the necessity of the Red Cross’ work and the bed net program even more apparent. Malaria, as the website says, really does bite. It’s painful and if not treated can and often does kill. It troubles me to think about those thousands of children infected by malaria who do not have the same access to the comforts and medicines that were afforded to me. As I lay here in my cozy bed I know if something should get worse treatment is only minutes away, but, it’s not that easy for every one. This is why prevention is so vitally important here. I had previously seen how excited mothers and children had been to receive their bed nets and now I truly know why: Malaria bites!
Posted for: Mandy LaRiche
A lot has happened in the past week. Although the malaria bed net distribution campaign here in Madagascar is over and has been for a couple of weeks, it seems, my experience with the illness most certainly isn’t. Apparently a mosquito carrying the P. Falciparum strain of malaria, at some point within my two and a half months here, bit me, presumably on one of my two field trips to Morondava. Subsequently I no longer have to wonder what its like to be affected by malaria. I can say with greater authority now that it’s uncomfortable, painful and downright scary.
I discovered I had malaria this weekend while on another fieldtrip, this time I went to the beautiful town of Fulpoint to observe a cyclone response exercise. I had been feeling generally ill for quite some time with bouts of dizziness and headache sending me to the doctor frequently, but, never really revealing the true source of the problem. Finally, after a dizzy and slightly feverish night in Fulpoint followed by a hot and even dizzier morning there I went to the local health center where I did a “rapid test” for malaria. It came out positive, but, I was lucky, I had access to drugs, a comfortable bed and most importantly more support and help than I could ever ask for.
(I would like to use a little of this space to thank all of the amazing people who took time away from their demanding jobs to so kindly help me this week. It will not be forgotten!)
I was unable to observe much of the exercise due to my condition, but, saw a little of the tent camp that had been put up for the “beneficiaries” (local residents who would pretend to be affected by the make believe cyclone). It was quite interesting to see what might be done if a cyclone were actually to hit. The meetings between the partners who would be responding to this make believe cyclone were even more illuminating.
Watching the combined efforts of such a diverse group provided a fascinating lesson about emergency response and the necessity for consummate coordination and communication in such a scenario. The exercise was generally successful, as I was informed by my bedside, but, not without the expected hitches. Those hitches, though, are the very reasons why we conduct such an exercise, I now understand.
Although I could do very little to participate it and was confined to my bed most of the time, I am happy to say the exercise demonstrated once again the resolve and commitment of the Red Cross and the humanitarian community as a whole here. This was confirmed on an even more personal level when my illness was revealed to me and the others attending. I have never experienced more kindness and selflessness than that exhibited by those who came to care for and visit me even despite the great challenges they were facing in the exercise.
Upon return to Tana on Wednesday I was taken to the “hospital militaire” where I was once again tested—this time I was given a more thorough “smear test”. The test revealed I was afflicted by the particularly grave strain of malaria common in Madagascar. I was then prescribed a new medicine and put on immediate bed rest and have since become a Tom Cruise movie connoisseur (mostly because the “Tom Cruise Selection” seems to be the only English language DVD we can find here).
This whole experience has indeed made the necessity of the Red Cross’ work and the bed net program even more apparent. Malaria, as the website says, really does bite. It’s painful and if not treated can and often does kill. It troubles me to think about those thousands of children infected by malaria who do not have the same access to the comforts and medicines that were afforded to me. As I lay here in my cozy bed I know if something should get worse treatment is only minutes away, but, it’s not that easy for every one. This is why prevention is so vitally important here. I had previously seen how excited mothers and children had been to receive their bed nets and now I truly know why: Malaria bites!
Posted for: Mandy LaRiche
posted by Alison Frehlich at 12:09 PM
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