Blood is life

It is of the utmost importance in a country where 90% of the population will get malaria to have clean blood avilable to give to the patients.
 

The mission
The Anemia Project aims to support the work of two nuns: Patrizia and Maristella. They are involved daily in the fight against malaria at Amakpape, a small location in Togo. The project consists in a collection of funds to purchase sterilised blood bags complete with a kit to aid use and to be provided for children suffering from this grave form of malaria. A complete kit costs 43 euro: not an extravagant sum and one hopefully affordable. Each donation of 43 Euro buys a complete kit to help save the life of a child.

The reasons for
Malaria is the most widespread parasite in the world. The high fever it brings on and the diffent forms of gravity resulting depend on the infecting species. Even if the disease is not limited to tropical areas it is in these areas that it is most present and vicious in impact. In west Africa most malaria infectious cases originate from the Plasmodium falciparum species, it leading to grave cases and particularly active amongst children. The death rate is highest in children aged between 6 months and 3 years of age in the epidemic areas. One such area is Togo, a small country between Benin and Ghana and which looks on to the Gulf of Guinea.

The pathology
One of the most common symptoms of malaria is anemia, which results in the pathological reduction of haemogloban to sub normal levels and in consequence reduces the capacity of blood to transport oxygen. It is therefore of the utmost importance in a country where 90% of the population will get malaria to have clean blood avilable to give to the patients. If malaria is not treated the anemia thrives and very often it is the chidren who are not cured in good time. In Togo there are approximately 3 million children.

Where and why
Sisters Patrizia and Maristella are based and work in the location of Amakpape in Togo, a location which includes 16 villages and where 13 thousand people live. The nearest hospital is about 30 kilometres away and it is here that the children with malaria arrive, they having grave or very grave forms of the disease. And it is here tht it is necessary to take the bllod bags and kits so as to ensure that the children do not die.

The aim
At the moment, and thanks to teh work of the two missionaries, it is possible to provide about 50 clean bllod bags amonth, for a total of 600 per year. The number is too low to face the daily need and to prevent that many children aged between six months and eight years of age die. Our aim is to use your donatins to increase the number of bags provided. Just 43 euro can save a life!

The kit
In Togo healthcare is expensife righ throughout. It is necessary to pay to go in hospital, to have a consultancy, for the treatment and the stay itself. Even the syringes need to be paid for by the patient. This is why we have tried to prepare a complete kit whereby the parent an have all that which is necessary to trat the child in hospital.

The 43 euro kit is made up of:
- 250 ml blood bag
- Medical consultation
- Analysis
- Medicine ad antibiotics
- Intraflon
- Perfusion
- Plasters
- Bandage
- Thermometer
- Glucose tablets
- Iron (liquid form)
- Artemisina (medicine for malaria treatment)
- 4 syringes
- Gloves
- Nappies

The only way to help in a concrete manner is to make a bank transfer to the following account: IBAN IT 46 I 08010 58340 000300020001 in favour of Costa Family Foundation onlus for a minimum of 43 Euro. We will keep you up to date! 

Destination of funds: Amakpape, Togo - Suor Patrizia and Maristella
Beneficiaries: children aged between 6 months and 8 years of age and suffering from grave forms of malaria
Budget: undefined, based on the donations

Photocredits: Gustav Willeit