Dakar Calling

In this video, PCV Lauren Canton’s friend explains one of the reasons malaria is so problematic for people in Senegal: some people take over-the-counter medicines that simply mask the symptoms but don’t actually cure the disease. They think they’re better but then the symptoms return, and by then it can be too late.

This brings us to a related issue: even when people go to local health centers or hospitals and receive prescription medications, they too often fail to take the full course that is prescribed. For example, the drug might require that a malaria-infected person take four pills per day for four days. But if someone does not complete the dose — stops after three days, let’s say –  the disease can strike back and be even more difficult to cure. This can also lead to evolving strains of malaria that become “drug-resistant.” These strains do not respond to treatment even with traditional drugs, which therefore makes the disease gravely difficult to treat.

Spread the word,

Adam Horowitz
Peace Corps Volunteer
The Gambia ‘07-’09, Senegal ‘09-Present

One of the key components of any effective malaria campaign is follow-up. You can’t simply hand someone a mosquito net, check them off your list as another prevented case of malaria, and pat yourself on the back for a job-well-done. The only time mosquito nets help to prevent malaria and save lives is when people actually use them! That’s why Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) can be so useful during malaria campaigns; they live in communities, learn local languages, and build relationships with people. This puts them in the best position to promote proper bed net usage and to follow up with individual families.

Marisa Van Osdale is one of the PCVs with a Malaria No More FlipCam. She has been documenting malaria related activities in her region of Matam in Northern Senegal, and here she shares a video of a family receiving mosquito nets and pledging to use them every night. But, as she explains below, it’s important to remind people to use the nets through subsequent visits.

And by the way, I’m Adam Horowitz, a 3rd year Peace Corps Volunteer here in Dakar. I was a Health and Community Development volunteer in The Gambia for two years and recently transferred to Senegal and extended my service for a year. Among other things, I’ll be acting as the new point person for PCVs with MNM’s FlipCams, so you should be hearing a lot more from me – and other volunteers – in the near future!

Enjoy,
Adam

Marisa writes:

“Although Northern Senegal’s climate is mostly dry, during the rainy season, malaria becomes a real concern, threatening the health of families. In my village of Goudoude Diobe, one family is shown turning in the coupon to receive two lifesaving mosquito nets. The distribution of nets is just the beginning. As development workers, we must continue the campaign by completing follow-up with families to ensure the success of the project and use of the nets.”