SABANA YEGUA HEALTHCARE VOLUNTEERS
LEARN TO FIGHT CHIKUNGUNYA OUTBREAK
Sabana Yegua’s network of home-based community First Aid centers
and the volunteer leaders that host these “walk-in clinics” have been called
upon to fight an urgent new healthcare menace, the epidemic of the
mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus. The virus, long a problem in Africa and Asia,
has only recently become established among Caribbean mosquitoes. The Pan
American Health Organization says there have been at least 1 million cases throughout
the Western Hemisphere. The Dominican Republic’s health ministry estimates
nearly 500,000 people have sickened by Chikungunya since the introduction of
the disease only a few months ago.
The chikungunya virus causes extreme joint pain, severe rashes, fevers
and headaches and other flu-like symptoms. 90% of these bitten by an infected
mosquito usually develop symptoms within 4-7 days. Though rarely fatal, the
diseases symptoms are so severe for up to a week that the patient is unable to
carry on routine daily activities. Much absenteeism from school and work
occurs. Also the elderly and infants are a risk of complications.
At a recent workshop at Sabana Yegua’s La Sagrada Familia Parish,
those in charge of eighteen of these rural first aid centers were instructed in
the causes of the disease and methods of prevention and treatment. The workshop
was led by Patricia Comella, a Spanish specialist in tropical diseases. This information
will be shared by these volunteer leaders with their neighbors, multiplying the
awareness of how to deal with this crisis. Preventing
outbreaks is very important. According to Carmen de Leon, the manager of the
first aid station in Galindo Adentro, a small community of about thirty
families, nearly everyone in the village has been infected. At the end of the
workshop session, in order to thank these community volunteers for their good
efforts, the parish provided supplies, a bucket, chlorine to disinfect water
tanks, and mosquito nets to distribute to the villagers.
These
first aid stations, a small medical clinic at the parish center, and a part
time physical therapy clinic are all provided as part of the ministry of La
Sagrada Familia in its efforts to care for the needy.
No comments:
Post a Comment