Malaria is alive and well and living in Laos

I need to debrief.  I have to write and tell people about this, because it just amazes me. Sometimes I feel so naive and privileged.

The other morning I had arranged to meet Kaipo, one of the young novices I’d met, to take him to a class at My Library.  He wants to improve his English.  He didn't show up - that's OK.

A few hours later I was at his monastery because I'm helping another novice with English.  Kaipo walks out to meet me, apologetic that he didn't meet as planned.  He has a drip in his arm and is holding up an IV bag above his head with the other arm. (No IV pole available of course).

He has malaria. In Australia, he would be in hospital.  Not here.  He remains in the novice quarters of the monastery.  His monastery has one monk and 15 other novices who are basically all teenage boys.   Thankfully, his father and brother have come to stay to care for him until he is well.

A nurse arrives a few times a day to give him the IV antibiotics. I was taught in nursing that if you get a lot of air in an IV line you can die.  For the boys it's just "another day in Laos".

People routinely die of malaria here.  I gather it is usually people in the more remote areas who may not have the money  and/or can't get to a hospital.  No doubt he is lucky because he is in town and the monastery will pay for his antibiotics.  

People here live with so little.  I feel outraged that "this shouldn't be happening in the 21st century."

Health District Luang Prabang ..... or is it?

Health District Luang Prabang

I thought I'd found a Community Health Centre.  The sign says Health District Luang Prabang.

I was interested in what local people did when they were sick.  
So I asked a Lao person.
"Is this where you go to see a Doctor"
      "No"
Marg:  Is this where you go to see a nurse?
      "No"
Marg:  "If you had an infection in your finger, would you go here?"
      "No"
Marg: "When would you go here?"
      "When you need a certificate for work"
Marg: "So where would you go if you're sick"
       "To the Pharmacy and they will give you something to take."
Marg:  "What about if you're really sick with pains so bad in your stomach that you couldn't get up?"
       "You would go to a hospital".  
I suspect you could go to a hospital if you had someone to take you and as long as you weren't way out in the mountains and nowhere near a hospital.  

Also asked about whether Cancer in Laos was very common.

The person I was speaking to looked to be in their late 20's.  She knew what cancer was but had never heard of anyone in Laos having cancer.  

I suspect the reason is that most Lao people cannot afford to have medical care.

I have been told that if you are sick and have money, you go to Thailand.  

PS.  Late last Friday afternoon there was very loud music and very bad Karaoke coming from the 

shopfront of the Health District Luang Prabang.

Lao Friends Hospital for Children

Lao Friends Hospital for Children

Going for a walk, I thought I'd visit the Space Gallery which I really enjoyed last time I was here.  I couldn't find it and then realised that the group, Friends Without a Border had taken over the space.  So I went in and had a look at the photographs and art they have for sale. Reading some of the health facts for mothers and children in this country is a very sobering experience.  

The under 5 mortality rate is 72/1000 live births  

                                              (cf 7/1000 in the US)

The Maternal mortality rate is 270/100,000 live births

                                              (cf 28/100,000 in the US)

And look at the conditions children are treated for!

We would be outraged if this was happening in Australia.

Friends Without a Border
https://www.fwab.org/laos
This organisation originally set up the Angkor Children's hospital in Cambodia.  Because there is a huge need in Laos, on February 11th 2015, Friends Without a Border opened Lao Friends Hospital for Children in Luang Prabang

They follow the model of Treatment + Education + Prevention
"We believe every child has the right to a healthy and loving life.  
We accomplish this by providing high-quality and compassionate medical care to the children of Southeast Asia, by creating community health education programs and by training local health care professionals."

Some of the information in this post is from the Friends Without a Border Website.