The
paediatrics ward in l`hôpital de Bé is filled to
capacity, and most of the children here suffer from a single
illness: malaria.
Six-year-old Marco Togbe is one of the more serious cases, having
contracted cerebral malaria. He has just recently woken from
a month-long coma. Once a normal vibrant child, Marco now suffers
from severe brain damage. His prognosis is grim.
The statistics for malarial infection in Togo are staggering.
There are 345,000 reported cases of malaria in Togo annually.
Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the
country, accounting for 43 per cent of consultations in health
centres and 66 percent of hospital admissions for children under
five.
However, malaria is easily preventable by simply sleeping under
insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs), yet only 13 per cent of
children under five slept under one in 2003. Only 17 per cent
of pregnant women, another vulnerable group, slept under an
ITN the same year.
With malaria representing a major burden both on the country’s
health system and on the disposable income of families, the
obvious question is: why do people not use ITNs?
“Many people in Togo lack education regarding malaria.
They do not associate the disease with mosquito bites but attribute
it to other factors such as fatigue,” explains Blaise
Sedoh, Public Health Consultant for the Togo Red Cross Society.
“What they need is to be informed on the causes of malaria
and how to prevent it.”
He continues, “Another major factor is the price of ITNs.
They cost about US$ 5 each in the market. For a subsistence
farmer whose surplus crop may yield US$ 15, an ITN represents
a major investment that few are willing to take on, especially
if they have reservations about the effectiveness of ITNs in
preventing malaria.”
This week, all that is about to change. Malaria and other deadly
diseases affecting Togo’s children are being addressed
on a country-wide scale. During a week-long campaign, more than
900,000 children under the age of five will be vaccinated against
measles and polio and 600,000 between ages two and five will
be given the de-worming medication mebendazole. In addition,
every household with children under five will be given an ITN
for free.
Addressing several health issues during the same campaign will
serve to keep costs down, but a great deal of preparation is
also needed. For the past few months the Togo Red Cross Society,
through its 7,400 community-based volunteers, has been preparing
the ground for this unprecedented integrated health campaign,
which starts today.
The Togo Red Cross Society has been contributing to the social
mobilization component of the campaign. Volunteers have been
registering children and informing parents about the dates of
the campaign and the location where vaccinations will take place.
Because the number of ITNs to be distributed is unprecedented,
much of the focus has been placed on convincing community leaders
and residents how using ITNs helps prevent malaria.
In a poor Lomé suburb called Katanga, 36 volunteers have
spent a lot of time, especially in the last month, going door-to-door
to talk with residents about the campaign.
“Most of the people in this suburb are originally from
Ghana. Many do not speak French nor any of the traditional languages
of Togo,” explains Togo Red Cross Coach for Katanga, Kinvi
Ayi. “But amongst our volunteers we have residents from
Katanga who know English or some of the traditional languages
of Ghana, so communication has not been a problem. Residents
are looking forward to getting their own ITNs.”
In the village of Momo, about 60 km from Lomé, Red Cross
volunteer Marguerite Kpeyaka and volunteers from the village
have got the village on board for the integrated health campaign.
“Although some people were at first hesitant to let us
into their homes to register their children, we have gradually
changed all that, especially with the support of the village
chief. We have organized several information sessions that included
music and singing and we were able to get our message through
to villagers while entertaining them. Now the whole village
of 12,000 is excited about the campaign,” says Marguerite.
The Togo initiative is the first time an integrated campaign
has targeted an entire country. Previous pilot projects in Ghana
and Zambia have demonstrated the vital role Red Cross volunteers
play in ensuring their success.
“As in previous campaigns it has been the commitment of
Red Cross volunteers that has resulted in their success,”
says the International Federation’s Public Health Advisor,
Jean Roy.
“It is no different in Togo where that commitment is expressed
through the volunteers going door-to-door to identify and register
vulnerable children, volunteers convincing community leaders
and individual families of the health benefits the campaign
offers their children and finally volunteers` commitment to
following up long after the campaign is over,” he adds.
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This
week, Togolese children under the age of five will receive
four life-saving health interventions at once (p12271)
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Six-year-old
Marco Togbe lies in a hospital bed comforted by his grandmother.
Stricken with cerebral malaria, Marco, once a normal child,
now suffers from severe brain damage. (p12272)
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Togo
Red Cross volunteer Sandra Sewavi goes door-to-door to
inform residents of Katanga, a suburb of Lome, about the
upcoming vaccination campaign, and to explain how ITNs
can protect their children (p12274)
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Togo
Red Cros volunteers sing and play music for the residents
of Momo village to get them enthusiastic about the upcoming
integrated health campaign (p12278)
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A
resident of Momo enters into the spirit of the Togo Red
Cross social mobilisation campaign (p12276)
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