one more week to go....

Well, I have again been very busy moving all over the place, mainly west Africa, but very soon that will all come to an end!

We had yet another polio and measles campaign all over west Africa, so I had to go out and support in Nigeria, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso! It was crazy, but also totally interesting. The countries are so close together, but miles apart in terms of culture, acceptance (or not) of the vaccine and many, many other things.

Nigeria is still by far the worst country of acceptance of the vaccine, that it is rather embarrassing. Even countries that are “more muslim” accept the vaccinations freely, but Nigeria still seems to have issues with it. I think that really just goes to show you how poor the health system is here, where as the other above mentioned countries have really enforced and educated their people on the benefits of the vaccine!

As mentioned earlier, I am leaving Nigeria in……exactly one week! I can’t believe a year has already passed, but it has (of course, not including the deportation)! It went by really fast at times, and other times, not fast enough! I have learned a lot here, and while there is still a lot of work to do here, I just feel it is time to leave. I actually don’t have anything specifically planned for my next move, but I am really looking forward to taking at least a month to two months off to just relax and see what else is available out “there”. I am also strongly thinking of staying in Canada and getting a “real” job, but we will see, it just depends on what really is out there and interesting to do. I am sometimes afraid that I will get bored at a desk job, but I also think it will be a bit of relief. My body is also telling me I need a break…here is the list of diseases during my time in Nigeria…malaria x2, dysentery (more than I count), typhoid x2 or 3 (third time is still to be decided),…no polio though, so clearly I can say that the 300 doses of polio or so I have taken since I arrived here has helped (although that vaccine as a child is really what did it)! It sounds worse than it is, and it really isn’t all that bad…it is kind of like just having flu/cold off and on throughout the year. My system is now either really weak, or will be able to fight off whatever north American virus there is out there (HINI Influenza A being one of them – aka. Swine Flu)!!! Nigeria has been a tough place to live, but I am sure I will miss the chaosness of it all. Not having electricity, power, hot water, etc, has become so normal to me that I cannot imagine having them all day, every day whenever I just turn the lights, tv, etc on! But, on the other hand, I have become very spoiled….i have a driver that takes me and accompanies me everywhere, my housegirl does not allow me to lift a finger ( I haven’t done laundry, washed a dish, or mopped a floor in over 12 months), and everywhere I go, we are treated like these amazing creatures that will bring fortune to all (which is of course totally not true)!

As previously mentioned, polio in Nigeria has yet to be interrupted, and therefore it is not eradicated…and as much as I am usually an optimist, I don’t think we are anywhere near it ever happening here in Nigeria…there are just too many cultural and religious issues inhibiting from us to do the job, and do it well. Basically, every other country that has polio (i.e., Afghanistan, India, Pakistan) have come very close to interrupting the virus (this means no new spreads of the disease) and have a few years until they can officially say it is eradicated! So donors are a little fed us with us folks in Nigeria and are losing faith in “our” abilities. I personally think my colleagues in WHO have run themselves flat out fighting this battle, and we are beyond being able to continue at this pace. So, if anyone has any suggestions for eradicating this disease, please share.

Did I mention that I met the man who has discovered the “cure” for AIDS?!?! I met the whack job who has written an article that he has been able to “cure” AIDS in over 56% of those individuals he tested it on…he is total quack, but totally believes he has done “it”! It is sad because he is out there promising false hope to so, so many people who want to believe they can be saved. On this same note, if you remember my whole crazy situation with our staff member with AIDS…well, he died on Tuesday. As sad as it was, it was a long time coming. He was so incredibly sick in his last few days that this is a relief for everyone that had been dealing with him. We buried him the same day, so took him back to his village for the burial, and again, yet another adventure…4 hour journey into village life…during rainy season!!! So, the dirt “roads” we used so many months back have now turned into river beds, with craters filled with water at least 3 feet deep, which made for an even more adventurous experience! We finally made it, and as the body was with us, as soon as the villagers saw us arriving, you could hear the wailing begin. It was actually a really chilling experience. Hearing these women instantly brought me to tears and I felt these peoples loss. It became obvious that not only was he a provider for his family, but he was the provider of the village. He built the village house (where all went to share meals, church, school, market, etc.). So, his own small family was actually about 500 people or so. Who would think that on a salary of about $1000 USD per month, that you can safely provide for more than 500 people! Pretty incredible ! It was an incredible experience that I will again never forget, and don’t want to forget…it truly makes our anglo-saxon funerals seem so pitiful/emotionless (for lack of a better word). But, it is over, and I am sure he is in a better place, however his young son is now an orphan, which is the reality in most African countries…grandparents taking care of their grandbabies, and while the UN takes care of its staff who die while employed, this poor child will grow up in his village, with little chance to education or proper healthcare. I just hope the money they receive will be appropriately spent…we have another driver in WHO from a nearby village and he has promised to continue to follow up on him…as they say here “In Sh’Allah” (By god's will).

Well, that is it for now….I will again write with an update on what will be my next adventure. I never say never to Nigeria again, but it is very unlikely…but Africa holds a special place in my heart….

A bientot, Andrea