Preventive Medication Helps a Community Stay Healthy
Noel Kambou has been living with lymphatic filariasis for more than half of his life. The parasitic neglected tropical disease can cause debilitating symptoms, including severe swelling of limbs, which has affected one of Noel’s feet. He says the pain makes it difficult to work at times.
Noel remembers a time when the mosquito-borne disease was common in his village in the Sud Ouest region of Burkina Faso. Together with his fellow community health heroes, Noel has been helping protect his family, friends, and neighbors from lymphatic filariasis by distributing preventive medication to the entire community. Now, it’s rare to find someone with this illness in his village, especially among the younger generations.
Watch our video to hear Noel discuss his experience, the changes he’s seen in his community, and his hopes for the future.
Unfortunately, the incredible progress community health heroes have helped to make against this debilitating disease is now at risk. Disruptions in US government funding have cut off access to the resources they need to provide medication to their communities. Without preventive treatment, lymphatic filariasis and other diseases will have the opportunity to spread, causing potentially lifelong consequences for those affected.
Help ensure community health heroes like Noel have the support they need to build healthier futures.
