Sudan play educates on risk of infection

Press, 2 November 1989, Page 24

Sudan play educates on risk of infection

BY

SUZANNE KEEN

When John Bowis visited Sudan earlier this year, he was treated to a performance called “The Fly.” The play was not based on the horror movie where a scientist turns into a fly, but on the far more realistic risk of infection caused by dirty living conditions. The actors, nomadic people living in a shantytown by the port of Sudan, depicted a family living in .a dirty house who suffered diarrhoea. They eventually cured their condition by drinking a salt, sugar and water solution. Mr Bowis, the executive officer of the New Zealand Save the Children Fund, said the fund had organised the play as a way of providing health education to people who were illiterate. The nomads had been unable to find work because of the drought and had sought jobs at the port. However, the Government had failed to recognise them and as a result they had established the shantytown. Mr Bowis said that one of their biggest health risks came from dirty water. The water supply was an open reservoir in a field where it could be infected by grazing stock and dust.

He hoped that the New Zealand S.C.F. might be able to do something to help improve the water. Already the fund is assisting the Government health clinic, the rubbish collection system and helping in education groups at the Shantytown. During his 10 days in the Sudan, Mr Bowis also spent some time visiting S.C.F. projects helping homeless people living on the outskirts of Khartoum, the country’s capital. Between one and two million people displaced by the civil war have fled to the city and have settled on rubbish dumps. The authorities have not provided any housing, health, education or water facilities for them. Mr Bowis said that water cost about 30c a gallon and the S.C.F. was trying to reduce this by providing donkeys and carts to carry the water and thereby increase its supply. A survey was being done to establish the other needs of the displaced people and to coordinate aid.

Some of the money raised from this year’s annual appeal in New Zealand will go towards helping children in Sudan. It is expected the appeal total- will be about $700,000 - $lOO,OOO less than last year.