Malaria and Mosquito Net Distribution

The tiny little mosquito … and I mean TINY, the size of the mosquitoes in Canada were a little scary while I was home last year! … is the source of much suffering in Africa.  In Niger, the mosquito – or rather the malaria that it transmits – is the number one cause of death.  Those particularly vulnerable are the elderly and children under the age of 5.  Each mosquito bite carries a 50/50 chance of malaria transmission!

Through the Alliance Justice and Compassion Gift Catalogue, my team receives funds towards the purchase of mosquito nets.  This year, we were able to purchase ~ 2,000 nets!  These are currently being distributed through a number of our project initiatives.

Earlier this week, I donated 3 bundles of nets (~150) to a clinic on the edge of Niamey.  This clinic is the first-stop service point for those who live in the villages where I work, as well as servicing a few of the city districts and a “suburb” district just outside town.  These bundles were divided into three areas for distribution:

• maternity ward: to mothers with newborns
• pre-natal clinic: for mothers who come to their pre-natal check-ups
• infirmary: to those who are already being treated for malaria

The doctor and clinic administrator have reported that the rate of malaria has increased greatly this year.  It is a good rainy season – and a “catch 22”.  Rain is so desperately needed for the crops and the subsistence farmers; but the better a rainy season for the crops, the more the rate of malaria increases as well!

During this last week, I have also done 3 mosquito net distributions throughout the village area where I work.  The nets distributed in 3 locations in order to reduce the distance the villagers need to walk to attend the teaching and distribution.

At each distribution, I taught a quick lesson which reviewed the four lessons I taught in 2012 during the first distribution:

• malaria transmission – the mosquito
• mosquito reproduction – the need for standing water in which to lay their eggs, after 10 days, more mosquitoes now live to transmit malaria
• malaria symptoms and treatment
• mosquito net use and care

During the section on malaria transmission, I did a short skit: Calling one person to stand on my right and another on my left.  I in the middle was the mosquito!!  The person to my right was sick with malaria while he on my left was healthy.  I taught that as the mosquito feeds of the sick person, it receives malaria – and then gives it to the healthy person when he finishes feeding from them.  However, if someone is sleeping under a mosquito net, then the medicine in the net will irritate the mosquito – which then flies away before finishing its meal and thus it does not transmit malaria to the healthy person.   In this way, the net saves people from being infected with malaria.  The medicine in the net also kills the mosquito – thus reducing the mosquito population in the area!

After the teaching – we set about distributing the nets.  Each net costs the villagers 200f (~ .50¢) … these funds are being held for the village benefit.  In the next few months, I aim to start a village medical locker – medicines which the villagers can purchase at a reduced rate, but sufficient enough for the medicine supply to be replenished.

It is always a bit of a gong-show to do a distribution …. my pronunciation of names unfamiliar to me is sometimes entertaining!  And it takes awhile to get through all the recipients and then determine who in the village was missed.  There is no official census of the village – save for the distribution lists that I create!  Since the last distribution, there have been deaths, people have moved, young men have married.  I am amazed at how many names the village representatives can keep in their memory, but there are always a few who are missed! 

I also love seeing the villagers show care and concern for each other – some of those who were to receive nets were elderly widows or those who are handicapped … those with no source of income.  Yet each time, someone in the community stepped up and paid for their net so they could also receive!

Here are some of my favourite pics of the distribution – admittedly, all from the third day, as the field director,

Tim came along for the fun and became the cameraman and film director!

Each day, I anticipated to be in the village for maybe 3 hours … but all 3 days, ended up lasting 5-7 hours!  Though each days was exhausting, due to the heat and driving – they were all days filled with joy, fun and excitement! 

From the mouths of the villagers – to all those donated towards the purchase of these mosquito nets:  Mi yetti ma sanne sanne!  Alla barkine!  …. Thank you very much!  May God bless you!