Bahai Beach 40

Bahai Beach 40

The caps are on

February 1st, 2007

And the afternoon sun gives a mighty smile yet my colleagues are walking around with monkey caps, skiing coats, boots, shawls and skiing glasses. Me I say cold is mental and I walk around in a flimsy kurta pyama. The winds have come down the last couple of days and it makes a lot of difference. Sleeping outside is on the agenda again. The stars are just waiting to be gazed at. Is it full moon?

The cats have found there way in and out of my room. We struggle to share the minute bed. Just as I type this both of the cats come over to play. They like the apple sign on the back of my lap top. But how could I forget the most important news?

The eggs – omelet or future chooks – are back in production. One of my latest visits I found 8 eggs. I have left 4 with mother chook to be bred. Awaiting the stipulated 4 weeks to see the result. In the camp they have warned me that the winter is not over at all. It could still hit hard. I however tend to follow my chooks wisdom and weather information.

I started to tell you about the outbreak of skin disease in the camp. There are over 1500 cases of ringworm. This requires a major intervention based on:
1. Treatment
2. Health Promotion campaign
3. Active case finding and surveying

You can imagine that we have nowhere enough medication to treat such a vast quantity of kids. Normally a drug order will take more than 3 months to arrive in to our land locked `Chad. So exceptionally drugs need to be bought locally.

I spent the day today out of the camp piling up work on the logistician Fikiri. About 17 different structures need to either repaired or build in the camp. Things ranging from wooden/plastic structures for vaccinators, to an incinerator, shower for the delivering ladies and a latrine in the health post. Also I had to chase him about the urgent request to buy the necessary drugs. He took it in his stride with a bit Congolese smile.

Only a few months ago we were with 6-7 people in the compound. The team is getting bigger on a daily basis and on the last head count we reached 22. It would have been much more were it not for the lack of airplanes. One of the constraints here is that the over land road is dangerous and that there is limited capacity through the air. If an airplane is needed in another region more urgently or maintenance is taking place immediately it leads to a backlog of people flying in and out. Only our organization has 15 people waitlisted. A huge dysrupture to services and a major impact on planning.

Our Public Health Assistant Manager Ben left today for a 2 day seminar, but given the erratic flights he may be out for quite sometime because of it. With him went our other lab technician as well. Well at least they get a break from the isolation. I wonder at times however if Abeche is such a good place for a break..

If you recall well Abeche was taken by rebels two months ago and I am sad to say that fighting has increased again in the South of Chad. This around a village called Adre near the Sudanese border.

Over the last 1 month two reports have come out reflecting the situation in Chad

1. Human Right Watch
http://hrw.org/reports/2007/chad0107/

2. Amnesty International http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=ENGAFR200012007reflect

They give a clear reflection of what is taking place in this part of the world with vivid description of people who have suffered this vicious violence. It may not be a bed-side read but it does spell out why there is need for protection of the victims, persecution of the criminals and peace making.

Let nobody be able to say ich habe es nicht gewusst!

Namaskar,

Ashis