AIDS vs. Malaria

There we sat listening astonished to the Minister of Health describing that what she most needed was help in fighting the malaria that was killing more people in her country than the AIDS, but AIDS was what donors mostly prioritized. How sad! The high mortality rate of the malaria came as a surprise to me but from what I deducted the malaria strain in most of Africa is much worse that what we are accustomed to in South America. We were informed that the anti malaria drugs we have been supplied by the bank for the trip were not allowed in this country as they could create an even more drug resistant strain. Answering some nervous questions the Minister informed us EDs that the malaria mosquito attacked exclusively at night and only if the victim was still and that’s why the protective nets are so important. 

Malaria is a tragedy, and so you have to forgive me but I cannot refrain from telling you that after the minister’s mosquito comments, I detected immediate incipient salsa-like movements in my colleague’s limbs (mine as well) and that grew stronger as night approached. 

Giving away Bouncing Balls

During a previous trip I had learned from a grand lady colleague from the richest country to bring some bouncing balls to give away. I threw them at the dozen young kids standing there and only two of them moved. The rest did not even acknowledge it in their poverty and misery-filled glazed eyes. Per, what are you doing here? This is so far away from your realities that there is no way you could really add something useful. Yes. I know! But then again that is perhaps exactly what I needed to see … with my own tear-glazed eyes.