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By Shawn Meagher and Lahra Boitnott
Rural communities in
developing countries experience excessive health problems from infectious
diseases for a variety of reasons. In Ecuador, these include:
- Increased exposure to infectious agents due to poor sanitation
- Poor access to health care because of under funded, poorly
coordinated, and unreliable health networks
- Extremely limited personal resources to pay for health care (>30%
of Ecuadorians live in extreme poverty).
Despite these conditions, a reduction in disease
prevalence and impact is possible through health education. A survey by
Mario Grijalva in various provinces of Ecuador showed that ~ 50% and 90% of
at-risk individuals did not know the cause of malaria and Chagas disease,
respectively.
We visited the town of Pano, located in the
eastern province of Napo within the Oriente (Amazon Basin) region. This
area is hyperendemic for Ascaris lumbricoides with the overwhelming
majority of the population infected. Other prevalent infections include
whipworms (Trichuris), hookworms (Necator), scabies mites,
head lice and malaria. The community has developed an educational program
to promote individual responsibility of health status to reduce infection
rate. They are attempting to change health-related behavior in the community
by educating the children in personal hygiene and disease prevention, as
well as, the etiology and transmission of infectious agents. For instance,
washing hands to prevent Ascaris and Trichiris infection, and
wearing sandals to prevent hookworms. In addition to education, Pano has a
routine deworming program to combat current infections and help alleviate
parasite-induced malnutrition and nutrient deficiency. Twice a year,
school-age children are given anti-helminthic medications provided by
various organizations.
The hope in Napo is to reduce infections by
a two-pronged approach: chemotherapeutic removal of parasites and education
to prevent new ones. Only through education can sustainable improvement in
health status and infection prevalence be accomplished. Teaching children
to develop good hygiene during their formative years creates a future
generation that is able to identify and combat infection risks. These
children develop a sense of self-responsibility in health care which is
difficult-to-impossible to establish in adults.
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The Principal of the school in Pano explains to
the group the structure of the newly formed community schools
education network in his area and how disease prevention is an
integral part of the curriculum. M.G.
The interaction between the workshop
participants and the people of from the communities provides a rich
experience for all. Singing and playing with the children, discussing
multiple issues with the adults allows all involved the opportunity to
learn about the cultural differences but also to realize the
similarities that exist. M.G.
Small scale fundaising efforts through the sale
of handcrafts and T-shirts back home, allows the participants to
donate anti parasitic drugs, vitamins and other basic medication to
some of the communities visited during the workshop.
M.G.
The rich cultural heritage of the people in
this area is exemplified by this prehispanic petrogriph (stone carving)
depicting a battle between two armies locating near Pano. The
development of a locally own ecotourism industry is a viable, yet not
well exploited alternative for sustainable development.
M.G.
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