When MAF gets medical...

South Sudan

Worming its way in!

Ever heard of the Guinea worm? We hadn’t either, until recently! It’s a parasite that causes the tropical Guinea worm disease that used to be common in remote areas across Africa.

Thankfully, today it’s been pretty much eradicated in every country except Chad and South Sudan.

People catch it by drinking unfiltered water that contain Guinea worm larvae — usually from ponds — and it can take up to a year for the symptoms to start.

Although it’s rarely fatal, it can cause severe pain and immobility for months at a time.

The worms literally grow inside the body until they’re mature, then they burst out of the skin — usually from the lower leg! (Sounds like something out of Aliens!)

And, because it’s caught from stagnant water sources, the disease affects people in rural, isolated communities.

female Dracunculus

The medinensis – the Guinea worm’s real name – can grow up to 80cm in length!

Beating the pesky wrigglers

In South Sudan, Pilot Reuben Vermeulen (pictured above) recently flew passengers from the Carter Center to Lafon County in Eastern Equatoria to celebrate the opening of a new clinic and tell people how to prevent Guinea worm infections.

They are tackling the disease through a combination of observation, education, improved access to healthcare, and by distributing pipe filters to the people most at risk.

It’s hoped that this will soon become the second human disease after smallpox to be eradicated. Now that really would be something worth celebrating!

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer PSALM 17:6 (NIV)

Please pray

„ For Change Our Ways to have a national impact across PNG.

„ For MAF Aircraft Engineer Mark Newnham, and his family serving in Kenya

„ That Africa could once again become a polio free continent!

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