So....a couple words about healthcare. Everyday at the health center, parents bring in their very ill children. The most common illness this time of year is malaria. In its' earliest stages, malaria causes a fever and body aches. If a family waits to treat their child (or maybe goes to a traditional healer first for some short-term medication) the symptoms progress to a higher fever, more body pain, vomitting and diarrhea. If a family still waits, anemia sets in as the child's blood cells are further attacked by the bacteria. Severe anemia results in convulsions and fainting. When a parent brings their child to the health center at this most-severe point, the illness has spread too far and the only thing we can do is refer the family to Ngaoundere because the child needs a blood transfusion. Since I have been here, I have seen this result four times. The largest question, or quanundrum, in my head, is why? why do the families wait until the stage is this severe? This question is one I am trying to uncover and I believe finding the answer may help me to become a more-efficient health volunteer here.
Ok, so I have seen the health center side of the story. But recently, a neighbor of mine was very sick with malaria. I went to visit the family and asked how everyone was and where Mariama was? "She's sick" someone said. She was sleeping. I went into the room where she was lying on the mat. I touched her forehead; she was burning up. "You need to take her to the health center tomorrow" I said to the mother. Ok yes. ok. She agreed.
The day went by at the health center and...no Mariama. When I got home in the afternoon, I went straight to their house and asked why they didn't bring her to the health center. They said they didn't have money. "That is not true" I said, "you just bought a new panya last week. The longer you wait to take her, the more expensive the treatment is going to be." Ok, mama agreed. Tomorrow.
...No Mariama again the next day at the health center. At this point, I was furious. Here was a situation I kept seeing day after day at the center with parents not bringing their children to get treatment until the illness was so severe that we couldn't do anything, and this was happening with my friends. Why didn't they want to bring her? They are nice people. The health center is not that far. They have money. Then what was stopping them?
I stopped by their house again in the evening. To my surprise, Mariama was awake, up and turning couscous. "She is better? I didn't see you at the health center today?" I asked. "We gave her come traditional medicine", mama said. Next to Mariama was a tall soda bottle with some orange leaves and liquid inside. Mariama kept taking small sips and quinching after because of the bad taste. But the traditional medicine worked. This time.
So when a parent brings their child to the health center because they seized due to malaria, we blame them for not doing anything. But the truth is that parents try a lot before they come to us. Waiting for the body to heal itself. Traditional medicines galore. Some of the time the herbal remedies work...but when they don't, we take the brunt of the waiting.
Another thought about health. I've noticed when talking with people that being sick is just as normal as being healthy. With malaria being so common and a host of other creatures in the water and food, it is accepted to be sick once or twice a week. Do my fellow Americans feel this same way about their health? I can remember times when working in the Emergency Room when people would come in for a simple back ache or cold in order to get medication that worked fast so they could be back on their feet as soon as possible. Here, I think it is more accepted to take time to be sick, drink the herbal medicine, and wait it out. Versus being overly proactive/aggressive about healthcare and seeking serious medications at the first onset of a problem. Thoughts about this my fellow USA-ers?
Ok, so I have seen the health center side of the story. But recently, a neighbor of mine was very sick with malaria. I went to visit the family and asked how everyone was and where Mariama was? "She's sick" someone said. She was sleeping. I went into the room where she was lying on the mat. I touched her forehead; she was burning up. "You need to take her to the health center tomorrow" I said to the mother. Ok yes. ok. She agreed.
The day went by at the health center and...no Mariama. When I got home in the afternoon, I went straight to their house and asked why they didn't bring her to the health center. They said they didn't have money. "That is not true" I said, "you just bought a new panya last week. The longer you wait to take her, the more expensive the treatment is going to be." Ok, mama agreed. Tomorrow.
...No Mariama again the next day at the health center. At this point, I was furious. Here was a situation I kept seeing day after day at the center with parents not bringing their children to get treatment until the illness was so severe that we couldn't do anything, and this was happening with my friends. Why didn't they want to bring her? They are nice people. The health center is not that far. They have money. Then what was stopping them?
I stopped by their house again in the evening. To my surprise, Mariama was awake, up and turning couscous. "She is better? I didn't see you at the health center today?" I asked. "We gave her come traditional medicine", mama said. Next to Mariama was a tall soda bottle with some orange leaves and liquid inside. Mariama kept taking small sips and quinching after because of the bad taste. But the traditional medicine worked. This time.
So when a parent brings their child to the health center because they seized due to malaria, we blame them for not doing anything. But the truth is that parents try a lot before they come to us. Waiting for the body to heal itself. Traditional medicines galore. Some of the time the herbal remedies work...but when they don't, we take the brunt of the waiting.
Another thought about health. I've noticed when talking with people that being sick is just as normal as being healthy. With malaria being so common and a host of other creatures in the water and food, it is accepted to be sick once or twice a week. Do my fellow Americans feel this same way about their health? I can remember times when working in the Emergency Room when people would come in for a simple back ache or cold in order to get medication that worked fast so they could be back on their feet as soon as possible. Here, I think it is more accepted to take time to be sick, drink the herbal medicine, and wait it out. Versus being overly proactive/aggressive about healthcare and seeking serious medications at the first onset of a problem. Thoughts about this my fellow USA-ers?
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