Back to Congo (Hurray!)

I arrived in France on 9 January.  Winter.  Cold.  I have been in Africa for the last 7 winters, and I thought my balls were going to freeze and fall off (pardon my French)!  But I had a very good time!  I met up with a friend from the Netherlands while in Paris, and then I refound a great friend from Zanzibar while I was in Lyon (see below).

Now, I am going back to Congo !  And not too soon – this European winter weather is killing me.  Fortunately, it is the official time of “SALES” in France.  I found a winter coat for not too much money.

I received a call on Saturday telling me that the woman who was supposed to go to Congo for a measles epidemic could not get her visa, and so they wanted to send me.  Of course, I said yes, after about ½ second of reflection (okay, maybe not that much).

But this is not in the parts of Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo – DroC – Congo Kinshasa) that I know.  This in the province of Equateur – in the north west.  There are no security problems!  Well - no more that parts of Paris.  It is also in a district that MSF is not represented for the moment.  So we must start everything

MSF Belgium noticed that a measles epidemic has started in June 2012 in the neighbouring province.  They alerted MSF France (my section) in December that it might touch places that we did not know.  We sent out an exploration team and voila!  We found the need.

Measles means treating the cases found, especially less than 5 years old in which the disease can be most lethal.  It also means vaccination.  We have just decided to do both (it is complicated due to the politics of vaccination – I can’t go into that problem here).  So we will be working with the existing Congolese health organization for both treatment and vaccination.  But there is still a lot to do before we start the vaccination – it will be for 45000 and 90000 children.

Right now it is a small team – 8 people including me.  And I have already worked with half of them - and enjoyed it!  Since our section is new in the region, there is everything to do – how to get money (no banks where we are), what to pay people, hiring, how to bring in supplies and vaccines (probably charter a plane, because the only other way is by boat on the Congo river – loooooooong), and much more.  This will be my truly first start up mission since starting my contract with the Emergency Department in June.

I leave tomorrow at 5:30am from the hotel.  I arrive in the capital of Kinshasa tomorrow evening.  Then I take a flight on Thursday to the district capital of Mbandaka on Thursday.  Finally on Monday after, I take the flight to Bumba (I will rumba in Bumba!) directly on the Congo river, where I will be working.  Apparently the biggest difference with the North Kivu where I worked before it that it is in the lowlands (hotter) and it rains every evening (oh, well).

The other news it that my place is no longer empty!  While in Paris, I got a message from an old friend from Zanzibar from 7 years ago.  We have stayed in contact off and on.  He was living in Europe, and recently was aggressed where he was.  He no longer felt safe, and asked if I could help.  I had already offered my apartment to him and his wife a few years earlier.  (They have since parted ways for a couple of reasons, although they are still married and still see eacy other).  So he was able this time to come to visit.  And he will be staying now in my place for a while.  I feel a lot better with someone I trust in the place than when it is totally empty.

Once again, I must say that I have had much luck in my life.  Only problem – I must be awake at 4:30 in the morning!  Such sacrifices - hehehehe.

Again, to Cindy's mom (my most fidele blog follower) big hello. It was great to speak with you today.