ROTARY ELIMINATING MALARIA IN TANZANIA (REMIT)
Our Club raised funds for REMIT at our Sunflower Party on 16th September.
On 10th October, Brian Stoyel came to tell us all about REMIT of which he is a co-founder. Brian has an illustrious Rotary carer having been Rotary GB&I President in 2003/4 and a trustee of the Jaipur Limb charity.
Brian explained the dangers of malaria, how it is contracted, and means of eliminating it.
Malaria is transmitted by mosquito bites, and once contracted remains in the bloodstream for life.
The main preventative measures in Tanzania are education and physical barriers such as impregnated malaria nets that prevent mosquitos biting sleeping people and kill the mosquito. These are low cost and easy to distribute and use.
REMIT also provides diagnostic tests, treatment for severe cases, checking local water for mosquito larvae and talks to local people.
Editor's note: I lived in a malarial area of central Africa for several years, and experienced first hand its deadly effects. My daughter was a gap year student in Tanzania, and nursed young children dying from malaria; a traumatic experience for someone only just out of school. It is preventable and deserves more attention and support.