African Diseases/Parasites

On August 4^th, we left Philadelphia bound for Entebbe via Brussels and Kigali. When we landed in Kigali it was announced to the plane that due to health concerns the stewardesses needed to spray the plane. The stewardesses then proceeded to walk up and down the aisles with canisters spraying the air with what I can only imagine was industrial strength anti-bacterial spray – I thought to myself, “Welcome to Africa / Air-borne diseases.” I should have known from that moment that living in Africa would be unlike anything I could imagine. Take this past week for example. It all started when my co-workers started getting very ill.  They could not get out of bed and their stomachs started to bloat. My supervisor took the staff to the clinic and the doctor told the staff they had intestinal worms - literal worms in their intestines -that were ingested as parasites and had grown in their GI tract. This of course was concerning because I had eaten every meal with the staff for the last month. My initial reaction was laughter then tears.. In an attempt to reassure me, my supervisor said, “Do not worry, this is very common in Uganda.” Horrifying, I know. I have somehow managed to dodge this bullet – still worm free. Life lesson learned in Uganda: Never underestimate the power of a multi-vitamin. Until next time.