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Hi. Thanks for your interest in Rotary International's "deathblow" to the poliovirus that crippled millions of children in the past. Now, WHO, UNCIAL, CDC, and many others are working together as partners to eradicate polio by the year 2002, and to make the world "certified free" of polio by 2005, Rotary's centennial anniversary.

My intent in this brief write-up is to share a few pictures and some basic information of our work, which is trying to help Ghana become free of the poliovirus. I will try to update this weekly, but I might be working in areas where there are no phone lines, or access to the Internet and therefore will be unable to provide information on a timely bases.

January 27, 2001: I have been in Atlanta, Georgia this past week with the polio eradication team at CDC (Center of Disease Control & Prevention), receiving intense orientation on what we need to do in order to eliminate the polio viruses from the few remaining countries. The pictures below show me standing at the front of the CDC building and Dr. Linda Quick, director of the STOP program (Stop Transmission of Polio) providing answers to questions and sharing her expertise. We toured the huge lab and the next pictures show data input in the polio department and the new Sequencers, which can identify the virus, which country it came from and also trace the evolution and changes. We were shown where the Ebola virus was being studied (not allowed to enter) and where the small pox vaccinia was vaulted in storage. Why a picture of a passport? The CDC and WHO work very closely together with the polio eradication project and WHO honors us by arranging a passport. We travel as a Technical Assistant of the WHO.

I will be flying to Accra, Ghana. More information next week. Click on "thumbprint pictures" to enlarge them.

            
Please click on the thumbprints to see them enlarged.

January 30, We arrived safely and were well received by the WHO. On our first day we say a posture that said "Make Ghana a Nation Without Polio!" Yes, that's what we all want -- but its going to take a bit of work. A lot of sorting of papers and going over the results of the last National Immunization Day (NID) takes a lot of time, but only in this way can the valuable information be derived that will help us plan for the next NID in April and May. Dr. Mandara is a WHO Representative and is entitled to be honored much like an ambassador, "Your Excellence, --.." In the background you can see this years RI banner of RIP F. Devlyn. Not to be outdone, we also gave him a banner from my Rotary Club of Simi Valley. Dr. Jina Shah, Dr. Chima Ohuabunwo (the other two members of our STOP Team), Dr. Messeret, WHO EPI Officer, and Dr. Mandara receiving our club banner. Dr. Messeret, our STOP Team supervisor, shows us the data input process.

       
Please click on the thumbprints to see them enlarged.

February 2, More intense training and orientation -- specific things to do, reports that need to be made, concerns to be aware of, etc. We also visited the Noguchi Lab, where the virus studies are performed for the West African Region and the polio virus is identified. They are asking for $48,000 so that they can have a sequencer to determine the genetic specifics and identify the evolutionary component of the viruses. Our task is to actively search for Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP), reinforce the collection of stool samples from the patients within 2 weeks of onset of paralysis so that the lab has the best chance of recovering the polio virus, to determine this as a possible cause of the paralysis (there are many other microorganisms that can cause AFP).

DR Kwesi, the head virologist demonstrates the process of preparing a lab specimen, a lab tech explaining the procedure of isolating the polio virus, a "cold box" (containing a stool specimen) arrives, and a close up of two "gift wrapped" specimens to be studied.

          
Please click on the thumbprints to see them enlarged.

February 9,  I am currently stationed in Kumasi, the capital of the Region of Ashanti (like a State). We have a King and a Palace, which I haven't visited yet. The Ashanti Region is different than the other Regions in Ghana, in that the people have held on to their traditions and beliefs and are united under the rule of their King. Each Community has a "Queen Mother" who has more influence that the Chiefs, since she is the one that chooses them. It is hoped that they will become advocates of the children's health and also promote the awareness of AFPs.

This week has been very busy moving from the capital of Ghana, Accra to the capital of Ashanti Region, Kumasi, a 4 hour drive. Before I left I met with Rotary's Polio Committee Chair in Ghana, Robert Atta, as well as the incoming chair, Adotei Brown and the incoming Director of RI, Sam Okudzeto. They are in the first picture taken in a Chinese Restaurant.

         

Asiedu, my temporary driver, is the coordinator for Guinea Worm eradication in Ashanti, which has caused so much blindness in Africa. In a typical day I visit one or more district offices, hospitals, clinics and outreach posts. You can see me presenting a Power Point Program on AFP Surveillance, proper and timely stool collection, as well as information relative to the Polio Eradication Initiative. During my visits in the pediatric wards -- looking for AFP and polio -- I am saddened to see the unnecessary suffering of children with preventative illnesses and proper nutrition. Here a child in coma from cerebral malaria, one of many Kwashiorkor (severe malnutrition) with skin infection and protein deficiency. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many mothers attending nutrition classes. These are mothers of children who were weighed, examined and found to be moderately malnourished and referred to the nutrition classes. The last picture was taken during a visit to one of the many community, or Outreach Posts. It is incredible how much good can be done with so little. So often it just seems to take the will to do something and miracles seem to happen.

          
CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE THEM

So far we been successful in sensitizing many doctors and health workers to the need of searching and reporting AFP cases. We have been warmly received as WHO Stop Team members and given full cooperation. Mopping up teams go out to almost all districts on a quarterly basis to the more remote areas. With so much goodwill and cooperation, even with the hardships encountered, I am encouraged that we will meet our goal to eradicate polio, and then on to even bigger and greater challenges.
       

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