Meet baby Jessica and her mother, baby Jessica is about 4 months old. We got a call from a friend here asking if I could take a look at this child. We met them at the local children's hospital where she had been diagnosed with a medical condition called Imperforate Anus (those of you who want to read more can go to:
http://surgery.med.umich.edu/pediatric/clinical/physician_content/am/imperforate_anus.shtml
http://surgery.med.umich.edu/pediatric/clinical/physician_content/am/imperforate_anus.shtml
In addition to her congenital anomaly baby Jessica has stage 3 malaria and a very low hemoglobin count. Her hemoglobin level was only about 1/3 of what is should have been for her age due to malnutrition. Hemoglobin is the protein found in red blood cells that is responsible for carrying oxygen. She was given a quinine injection to fight the malaria and was in need of a blood transfusion for the low hemoglobin level. After calls to multiple hospitals looking for blood, we found one across the Nile River. We all loaded up and took of for the Nyenga hospital for the much needed blood transfusion. Once we arrived we were informed they only had type B blood left. So we prayed and had her blood group tested. Unfortunately she was type A and the only unit of blood left was not compatible. As it turns out a young boy received the much needed last unit of blood for a sickle cell crisis. After more failed phone calls to locate blood, we loaded baby Jessica and her mother up to rest back at the guest house. They were going to be transported the next morning to a better hospital in a different town. The plan is to rid baby Jessica of the malaria, get her stronger and send her to surgery for her congenital anomaly.
Earlier in the week we got a call for a severely malnourished child in the Mafubari Village. Shauntina is about 3 to 3 1/2 years old. Her Jajja (grandmother) is left to take care of her and her sibling, who is in worse shape, so that her mother can work to support them. They traveled 3 hours from deep in the village to make it to the Mafubari clinic to meet with us. Shauntina is suffering from bouts of diarrhea due to the poor nutrition. Shauntina is around Hadlee's age, but smaller than Pierce.
In order to help with the malnutrition we were able to assemble a "Malnutrition Pack" The pack consists of ground up G-nuts (peanuts), ground up Mekena (small fish), powdered milk, porridge and children's multivitamins. The G-nuts and fish are packed full of protein and vitamins that when mixed with the porridge will help to bring back her strength.
We were able to assemble this malnutrition pack for about $20. If you are interested in donating a malnutrition pack you can send an online donation or a check with "Malnutition Pack" in the memo line.
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