Stopping The Sand Fly's Venom
AFGHANISTAN -"Leishmaniasis" (leish-man-eye-uh-sis). The word itself is
difficult to pronounce, but it represents a horrible reality to countless
children suffering from this disease. Bites from infected sand flies produce
itchy bumps eventually turning into open ulcerations on the bodies of these
precious children. Operation Blessing is preparing to rush desperately needed
medicines to doctors on the scene!
The toddler's dirty hands reach up to scratch the itchy sore on his cheek. An
older sister swats his hand as if to stop further infection. Without clean
water or medicine, this Afghan child and many others will become physically
scarred from the effects of leishmaniasis before they even reach their teens.
In the worst cases, lesions may never heal and destroy tissue surrounding the
area. For example, the illness can invade the cartilage supporting the outer
ear and destroy it.
Leishmaniasis refers to illnesses caused by a type of single-celled parasitic
organism called protozoan. According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine,
leishmaniasis exists as a disease in 88 countries with Afghanistan being among
the hardest hit. The sand fly acts as the carrier of this protozoan much like
the mosquito is a carrier for other diseases.
In recent weeks concerned parents asked for treatment during medical missions
to both Istalaf and Lalendar. An Operation Blessing relief worker who returned
from Afghanistan commented, "Almost every child I saw suffered from this. The
need is real!"
HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.
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