To celebrate the Ghanaian holiday on Friday, I ventured off the airfield to tour the dam at Akosombo. The dam was constructed during the 1960s to generate electricity for rural communities across the region. Lake Volta, the world’s largest artificial lake, formed as a result of this intervention in natural processes. Electricity from the dam certainly has a positive impact on the health and safety of some individuals and communities who have gained access to refrigeration, electric lighting, and similar luxuries. However, many of the communities that are situated along Lake Volta and served by MoM remain without electricity and have instead suffered health threats imposed by the dam. Transforming an active river into a massive lake created the perfect environment for the snails that carry the schistosomiasis parasite. Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia) can cause many unpleasant symptoms like blood in the urine and stool as well as a variety of long-term consequences, including impaired growth and development in children and infertility and cervical cancer in women. The disease remains alarmingly prevalent around Lake Volta. For this reason, MoM recently distributed health education materials targeting schistosomiasis to the communities participating in the ETCHE Project and remains active in the Bilharzia Control Forum Implementation Committee.
Showing posts with label Hallie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hallie. Show all posts
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Akosobo Dam
Submitted by Hallie Paige Arrigon
To celebrate the Ghanaian holiday on Friday, I ventured off the airfield to tour the dam at Akosombo. The dam was constructed during the 1960s to generate electricity for rural communities across the region. Lake Volta, the world’s largest artificial lake, formed as a result of this intervention in natural processes. Electricity from the dam certainly has a positive impact on the health and safety of some individuals and communities who have gained access to refrigeration, electric lighting, and similar luxuries. However, many of the communities that are situated along Lake Volta and served by MoM remain without electricity and have instead suffered health threats imposed by the dam. Transforming an active river into a massive lake created the perfect environment for the snails that carry the schistosomiasis parasite. Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia) can cause many unpleasant symptoms like blood in the urine and stool as well as a variety of long-term consequences, including impaired growth and development in children and infertility and cervical cancer in women. The disease remains alarmingly prevalent around Lake Volta. For this reason, MoM recently distributed health education materials targeting schistosomiasis to the communities participating in the ETCHE Project and remains active in the Bilharzia Control Forum Implementation Committee.
To celebrate the Ghanaian holiday on Friday, I ventured off the airfield to tour the dam at Akosombo. The dam was constructed during the 1960s to generate electricity for rural communities across the region. Lake Volta, the world’s largest artificial lake, formed as a result of this intervention in natural processes. Electricity from the dam certainly has a positive impact on the health and safety of some individuals and communities who have gained access to refrigeration, electric lighting, and similar luxuries. However, many of the communities that are situated along Lake Volta and served by MoM remain without electricity and have instead suffered health threats imposed by the dam. Transforming an active river into a massive lake created the perfect environment for the snails that carry the schistosomiasis parasite. Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia) can cause many unpleasant symptoms like blood in the urine and stool as well as a variety of long-term consequences, including impaired growth and development in children and infertility and cervical cancer in women. The disease remains alarmingly prevalent around Lake Volta. For this reason, MoM recently distributed health education materials targeting schistosomiasis to the communities participating in the ETCHE Project and remains active in the Bilharzia Control Forum Implementation Committee.
Monday, May 14, 2012
On the road to Wli
During my first weekend in Ghana, I enjoyed an excursion from the airfield with some of the other MoM staff and volunteers. We journeyed by tro tro, a 15-passenger van used for public transportation, across eastern Ghana to the village of Wli. It was a great opportunity to see more of the Ghanaian landscape and interact with a wide variety of people. However, I am grateful that I do not have to rely on tro tros for all my travels! The vehicles are significantly smaller than their American counterparts and lacking key safety features like seatbelts. Tro-tro drivers are constantly dodging potholes, pedestrians, stray animals, and other obstacles at high speeds. Collisions are frequent occcurences with devastating consequences for many Ghanaian families. I understand now why MoM uses planes for more safe and efficient access to rural communities. Strategies for increasing safety in and around motor vehicles will definitely be an important topic for future ETCHE drops!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Welcome Hallie
Submitted by Michaela Sholes
As we move closer to completing the mini-clinic, preparations are being considered to equip it for MoM needs. Fortunately for us, we have support from medical professionals across the globe to help us make these preparations in the best way possible. We are even more fortunate to have one of those supporters onsite right now. Hallie is a general nurse practitioner who is spending the next few weeks with us to help with preparing ETCHE drops and lending her expertise to assessing the mini-clinic needs. Thank you Hallie, for your cheerful spirit and thoughtful insights!
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