The Marked Children

It´s hard to look at their faces full of marks. These marks reflect the difficulties that families face in remote areas of the district of Capira. Here, where life for most is not as easy, not only do these families facing daily labors, many of their children suffer from a serious disease, which they will struggle with for a lifetime.

It is a very common sight in these rural communities.  Children with faces full of bites and sores, a harsh memento of the silent enemy that infects them, known as leishmaniasis. A disease common in poverty stricken areas that is serious problem for many in the mountain region of Capira. Combining poverty with limited access and health services problems there is a surge in cases and disease begins to spread. Now it can be seen affecting the Cacao, Ciri Grande, Campana and Lídice districts.

The disease is associated with bad nutrition, population displacements and poor housing conditions. It should be  considered a public health problem because of the extensive area affected and because of the destructive and incapacitating injuries it causes.

These districts swim among paradoxical swells. With aims of becoming an area with great touristic potential, it remains a territory of children affected by a crippling disease.

Exact figures on how many are affected by leishmaniasis are unavailable, as it is difficult for the population to access health, with limited transport and treatments offered a costly price. For this reason cases continue to increase. While many attempt to create homemade medicines, without proper treatment these children continue to struggle.

A recent visit to the La Gloria community in Capira showed that 33% of a sample of 34 children in the local community are affected by the disease.  A large percentage of them have not received any treatment. Their parents explained that it is very difficult for them to travel to the health centers in Capira or La Chorrera during the 20 days that the treatment lasts.  Without adequate economical resources for transport costs, they only option that remains is alternative medicines.

Edwin García, president of Capira’s tourist committee, explained that there is a need to promote and encourage greater access to health services for low income communities. It will help to reduce the negative impact of diseases like the leishmaniasis, giving these communities a better chance at success.

Marcela Morales, a teacher that worked for two years in Cirí Grande who is affected by this disease, explains that the disease causes ulcers in the skin to slowly grow, typical the patient is unaware this growth is occurring. As the ulcers grow they develop a smell and can become very painful. It sores looks like a small wealt that doesn’t fade, if untreated they can begin to rot flesh.

For health authorities in the district, this constitutes an avoidable disease if precautions are followed. These include, daily cleaning of the household and its surroundings with the goal of eliminating  breeding spots for mosquitos and chitras.

Other precautionary measures include wearing long sleeves shirts and trousers when working in vegetables gardens, covering the head and using closed toed shoes. Unfortunately, children often do not have this luxury, many play with short trousers and without shirt or shoes, making them an easy target for mosquito bites. For this reason there is a higher rate of the disease among children.

By: Ivan Castillo