Scabies

Ever had an itch you can't stop scratching? Imagine that feeling over your entire body and knowing that there are mites comfortably living and laying eggs under your skin. Sounds pretty gross, right? Like the rest of the world, Haiti is not immune to scabies. Furthermore, because all the children live together it is difficult to eradicate the disease from Espwa. However, that has not stopped staff from trying. 

Ms. Guilloux is in charge of Espwa's new scabies program. Scabies has always been an issue and was tackled by various medical professionals who have visited Espwa. Based off their recommendations, we have undertaken our own scabies program. The first round of treatment began this past August and included over 50 kids. For a month they were given an oral medication once a day and topical treatments twice a day. They were also given a special body wash. We are happy to report this group is currently scabies free. Along with this success, Ms. Guilloux began treatment for a second group, which also included over 50 kids. 

Ms. Guilloux said the hardest part is catching the disease in kids when they come back from vacation. This is especially difficult because scabies symptoms can lay dormant for up to two months, even though infected individuals are still contagious. While away from Espwa, children may be exposed to a variety of diseases, and housemothers and nurses must actively monitor the kids for various symptoms. 

We are hopeful that someday we can say Espwa is scabies free. Thank you to all the medical professionals who have visited and helped us treat scabies and other illnesses!