“I thought that I would lose my son, Fisaorantsoa, due to sickness. He got weaker and weaker each day. He suffered from a high fever and a bad cough for two weeks, which made me decide to take him to the nearest health centre.
“I carried my son on foot, passing through a vast sandy and cacti field, to the health centre. After two hours of walking, a village health worker welcomed us saying that the doctor is not on duty until next week.
“I felt so nervous and worried. I did not know where to bring my child for help; then the health worker continued, saying, “Bring him to Medair’s mobile clinic.” I asked her where and off we went.
“My child and I made it to the mobile clinic. People staffing the mobile clinic took care of my child. They did not let us leave, not until my son looked better. We received 21 sachets of food which helped him get better.
“I was told that he was malnourished and that they need to monitor him. They told us to come back after a week until he gets fully healed.
“Today is our third time to be here. My son has improved and has been back to playing. Medair saved my child from that terrible sickness, and I knew that if I did not bring him here or delayed it for a day, it might had caused me to lose him, ” 22-year-old Malagasy mother, Tahasoa, says.
Fisaorantsoa is one of the hundreds of malnourished children who benefitted from Medair’s mobile clinic in the southern Madagascar. The mobile clinic aims to provide basic health and nutrition services to sick villagers, especially for those malnourished children under five years, living in remote villages without health facilities. However, those with medical complications are referred to a nearby hospital for specialised care.
Two-year-old Fisaorantsoa plays beside the mobile clinic. It was Fisaorantsoa’s third time to return to the mobile clinic after he got so sick.
“Today is our third time to be here. My son has improved and has been back to playing. Medair saved my child from that terrible sickness, and I knew that if I didn’t bring him here or delayed it for a day, it might had cause me to lose him, ” 22-year-old Malagasy mother, Tahasoa, says.
This project is funded by EO Metterdaad.
