This training takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
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INTRODUCTION
We start very basic:
We are going to talk about cholera because, as a place that serves the community and orphans food, this is a potential source of many diseases and we want to avoid that.
Then we go personal:
- Have you have had cholera?
- Has someone you know had it?
- Do you know people that have died of it?
(Usually, the last 2 answers are YES)
So we continue:
Yes, cholera is a dangerous disease that kills many and that can affect entire communities and the little "bug" that causes this is this one on the bottom right!
Before we turn to the other page, we ask.....do you know what are the symptoms of cholera?
They usually know the first 3.
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SYPMTOMS
So then we admire their knowledge and expand from there.
- Stomach Pain.
- Vomit.
- Diarrhea. We explain that cholera's diarrhea is different from the "normal" one becase it contains "rice like forms". These rice forms are not real rice, they are actually a part of the human body that is coming out (pzrt of the intestines). If they see this kind of diarrhea it is a sign of cholera and they need to go to the hospital immediately.
- Deshydration. We inform them that this is the most severe symptom; this is the symptom that kills. We show how the person becomes very skinny and looks bad. We also explain that as a sign of severe dehydration, when the person is pinched, the skin will remained "pinched" and this is BAAAAD.
- Weakness.
- Shakes.
- Death.
Before we turn to the other page, we ask.....do you know what are the causes of cholera?
To my surprise, some of the canteen workers are already aware of many of the causes other are not.
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CAUSES AND PREVENTION
We place these 2 papers together and talk about the causes and prevention of each possible contamination.
1. Dirty Water
- C: Water full of bacteria can cause not only cholera but worms, diarrhea. It affects the health of the whole family and of the clients in the canteen.
- P: Boil or treat water with chlorine or Certeza. Certeza is the easiest and cheapest way.
2. Dirty Food
- C: Cholera and other diseases can be gotten by not without washing and eating vegetables and fruit in the market or making salads.
- P: Vegetables and fruits that will be eaten raw need to be washed.
3. Dirty Hands
- C: Hands can be very dirty....because we touch many things the have been on the ground and other places.
- P: Before eating, cooking and after using the toilet, hands need to be washed....with soap or ashes!
4. Dirty Rivers
- C: Taking showers or drinking water in rivers that people defecate in or throw garbage in can be dangerous.
- P: If you see someone defecating or throwing garbage, ask them NOT to do it since the river is not only theirs but of the WHOLE community. If the river is contaminated, it is safer to take a bath at home with water from a well.
5. Garbage
- C: Throwing garbage near where we cook will attract cockroaches, rats and flies that will contaminate our "delicious" food. (We signal drawing #8)
- P: Making a garbage pit is essential. When it is full burning or burring the garbage is necessary.
6. Latrines
- C: Making necesities near the house will attract flies that in turn will contaminate the food. (We signal drawing #8)
- P: Making latrines is very important, that is why every canteen has one and every house should too.
7. Dirty Utensils
- C: Plates, glasses, pans and forks can be contaminated when animals walk over them.
- P: Rinsing them before use is recommended
8. Contaminated food
- C: Animals that come form the latrine, garbage and dirty rivers and contaminate good food. (We signal the previous drawings)
- P: Covering pans and plates with food is necessary.
9. Worker with cholera.
- C: People with cholera should never cook or serve food, since cholera is very contagious.
- P: A sick person needs to go to the hospital immediately and his vomit and diarrhea needs to be placed in a separate hole from the rest of the family and then covered to avoid contamination. (We signal drawing #8)
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TREATMENT
We remind them that it is dehydration that kills and for this reason, it is important to give the sick one liquid BUT in small doses so he/she does not throw up. We also recommend making homemade Gatorade or giving rice or corn water as well as soda.
Most importantly, we tell them that cholera kills in 24 hours and for this reason, going to the hospital is an emergency and a must. We tell them that in the hospital they will receive I.V. and medicine and that they must take it.
Furthermore, we review the usage of the Iodine based water treatment available here in Africa: Certeza
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REVIEW
After asking them if they have any questions, which they usually don't have any as they are not used to interacting to much with teachers or trainers. As a review and test, we ask each participant to explain a part of the training to the others until the whole training is repeated.
