The end of the wet season
Here we go again, the end of the wet season should be a nice change except for the dust but because the water stops moving and it gets warmer the mosquitoes breed which means malaria. One of 'our' children has had two doses within two and a half weeks, each time four days off school one session in Hospital on a quinine drip which makes one itch and can damage the hearing the other a series of injections because she not keep anything down in the way of tablets. Another one in hospital for two nights and then convalesce back at school for another two or three days.
These infections are a matter of life or death. One good answer is environmental management to reduce the breeding sites, treated nets and I suspect wider use of repellents would be a great help but they do not seem to be available here.
Parasites are often amazingly well adapted to keep themselves going. In this case an infected person is very attractive to the mosquito so one infected person in an enclosed environment can lead to the infection of a high proportion of the members, such as a school dormitory or an over crowded living space.
Bridget's mother has been forced to move from the 'house' they had because the kind hearted doctor who gave her the space has married and the wife wants them out. The hospital supervisor has found them a new home: Bridget 13, her small sister 8 and the mother now have to live in one room just over two metres square, there is room for one bed and one chair but at least they still have a roof.
More cheerfully we have new addition to the university in the person of Johnny from Glasgow, Scotland, with huge experience both technical and business in IT. A real asset on many fronts, not least good company. Still suffering a bit from sensory overload but really enjoying it. Like the rest of us vastly frustrated by the electricity situation which seems to have no real end in site. Currently supposed to be 24 hrs on and 24 off but with random breaks it is usually more. The energy bills for the University have gone up nearly six fold which makes quite hole in our cash flow due to a combination of bad management/corruption and global warming which is reducing the rain fall.
For all the problems the people are still wonderfully warm and generous and it is a pleasure to be here. How much longer we are not sure depends on progress on the projects and particularly finding a replacement for me in the University, a fantastically life enhancing experience.
A photograph of the best greenhouse of any university or college in the country. If we do things we try and do it right.
These infections are a matter of life or death. One good answer is environmental management to reduce the breeding sites, treated nets and I suspect wider use of repellents would be a great help but they do not seem to be available here.
Parasites are often amazingly well adapted to keep themselves going. In this case an infected person is very attractive to the mosquito so one infected person in an enclosed environment can lead to the infection of a high proportion of the members, such as a school dormitory or an over crowded living space.
Bridget's mother has been forced to move from the 'house' they had because the kind hearted doctor who gave her the space has married and the wife wants them out. The hospital supervisor has found them a new home: Bridget 13, her small sister 8 and the mother now have to live in one room just over two metres square, there is room for one bed and one chair but at least they still have a roof.
More cheerfully we have new addition to the university in the person of Johnny from Glasgow, Scotland, with huge experience both technical and business in IT. A real asset on many fronts, not least good company. Still suffering a bit from sensory overload but really enjoying it. Like the rest of us vastly frustrated by the electricity situation which seems to have no real end in site. Currently supposed to be 24 hrs on and 24 off but with random breaks it is usually more. The energy bills for the University have gone up nearly six fold which makes quite hole in our cash flow due to a combination of bad management/corruption and global warming which is reducing the rain fall.
For all the problems the people are still wonderfully warm and generous and it is a pleasure to be here. How much longer we are not sure depends on progress on the projects and particularly finding a replacement for me in the University, a fantastically life enhancing experience.
A photograph of the best greenhouse of any university or college in the country. If we do things we try and do it right.
posted by Patrick & Kathie at 8:12 AM
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