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& MALARIA |
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Markandu Uthayakumar,
Sarvodaya Community Volunteer: I live in a village called Ammiathan. I was
born here. I am a Sarvodaya volunteer, representing my village.
Because of the war, we were displaced and everything was destroyed. When
we re-settled here after the ceasefire, people were infected with
malaria due to shrubs and stagnant water.
Markandu: When did you get malaria?
Viknewswaran: About six or seven months ago.
Markandu: How did you feel then?
Viknewswaran: I had chills and high fever. My legs and
toes would shiver. And then, I would sweat. |
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Dr. S.: Did
you get malaria recently?
5th Grader: Yes, I got it twice.
Dr. S.: When did you get malaria the second time?
5th Grader: About a week ago.
Dr. S.: Did anyone in your home get sick also?
5th Grader: My mother and brother got sick. He's in the
seventh grade. |
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For the farmers in this agrarian region, a malaria
epidemic can be crippling. Sick and unable to work, a family
may be left without both food and an income.
To address the problem, the Global Fund is underwriting a US$1.7
million malaria control program, spearheaded by local NGO,
Sarvodaya. |
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Dr Lalith Chandradasa,
Director, Sarvodaya Malaria Project: In this project there are
a few components. One of the most important is awareness-raising in the
community. So we do that by poster campaign, distributing leaflets and also
by having workshops or seminars.
Dr Jayanetti: Many people did not know what caused malaria.
Dr Chandradasa: The seminars are aimed at three target
groups. One is the school children, who range from 16 to 20, where they
are a bit educated and can have an impact on their peers and also on their
families and the community. |
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| Monitoring the prevalence of malaria in an
area is an important facet of the program. At the Sasthirikoolankulam school,
first graders are tested to help determine progress. |
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Markandu: We
spray insecticide around the houses where there are mosquitoes. And those
wells and waterways which are abandoned, we plan to close them.
Under the anti-malaria campaign we have distributed mosquito nets to all
the villagers in order to prevent malaria. We teach them how to use and
take care of the nets and when to re-treat them with insecticide. |
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| In his follow-up house calls, Markandu makes sure the nets
are being used correctly. In Vikneswaran's case, he finds that
Sarvodaya is getting its message across. |
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Viknewswaran:
We can use these nets for six months. After that, we have to re-apply the
insecticide.
Dr. Chandradasa: I hope the experience gained by the community
in the involvement of controlling malaria will create a new set of thinking
among them, which will help in the control of other diseases as well. |
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|  | | | GLOBAL FUND PROGRAMS IN
SRI LANKA | | | Total Funding Request: | $30,409,721 | | Approved Maximum*: | $21,611,879 | | * total Approved Funding for Phase 1 & Phase 2 |
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