9:00 AM: Amina, 15 years old, is waiting patiently among hundreds of people. She proceeds for a few meters but she is stopped by one of the guards. She will be able to proceed as soon as the dozen people ahead of her advance. She has returned from Uganda and heard from her mother that vaccinations were taking place in town. She knows that meningitis kills people and asks whether the needle will hurt. After a 20-minute wait, it only takes a few seconds to finish. She then proceeds to the registration table where she is asked for her age. 11 AM: While the crowd continues to grow in this site, a public-awareness campaign is taking place around town, as cars drive through the different districts of Juba. With the help of a megaphone, they are reading a message in English and Arabic urging people to be vaccinated for free. The day prior, additional information and messages also appeared in the local newspapers and were dispersed over the radio. Owen, one of the drivers, also alerts the public of the cholera treatment center run by MSF that is now open in Juba. In addition to the meningitis epidemic throughout southern Sudan, cholera has also been on the rise in the areas around Juba. As volunteers finish up work in their respective countries, many continue on a path similar to Peace Corps work. Great job, keep it up!
sstadum
Comments