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Dear Members,
Here we are, already in the early days of 2012. It is about time that I tell you about the action taken by your organization during the second half of 2011, which has passed by so quickly. As in the first half of the year, they were focused on two principal areas: the running of our boat clinic “Swimming Doctors”.
As in the first half of the year, they were focused on two principal areas: the running of our boat clinic “Swimming Doctors”.
The end of the renovation works and of the extension of the school to accommodate 2500 children, located in North Okkalapa, one of the poorer areas in the north of Rangoun, which was opened in great style on 11th December 2011. 
Since the launch of our first « Swimming Doctors » boat, 14 missions have been carried out.
They have allowed 8,224 people to be treated, on average 587 patients per mission, so 30 patients per day.
These figures confirm those given in the previous report.
Although on the boat we have gone as close as possible to the villages, sometimes the medical team has to go to the most isolated villages to treat the sick gathered in a monastery like we did in 2008, after cyclone Nargis.
Several children were born on board, some of which are most definitely from a whole different generation to their mothers, given that they were delivered feet first and born by caeserean section performed on board.
It is a Burmese tradition that it is the monk of the village who should name the child. Children are often given one of their parents’ names, and the concept of a surname doesn’t exist. Here’s a funny story: children who are born on board often are given “Zawgyi” as one of their names. Similarly, the little girl above, born on 18th October, is called Zawgyi Aye, while in another village, a boy was given the name of Zawgyi Tun Aung etc.
Now with hindsight, I have started to put together the pathology statistics from the people from the delta region there is suffering most often.
To my great surprise in one year we have not had to treat one single case of malaria just as we have had to treat “exotic” diseases. We have only diagnosed 3 people as HIV positive and they are now undergoing triple-drug therapy.
Besides seasonal diseases which are the same as those in Europe and accidents at home and in the workplace, it seems that there are only 3 big epidemics: hypertension, ENT and digestion diseases and alcoholism. There is a fourth, but seeing as we cannot relieve crises if they happen at the time of our trip, it is diabetes.
If we can obtain triple-drug therapy from a NGO specializing in AIDs treatment, for those who are ill in our village it will be possible for us to provide treatment for life for the sick suffering from diabetes which is genetic or due to their age.
Hypertension is due in large part to the consumption of too much salt and of “Gna pi” sauce which they use in everything. Taken from dried fish and therefore containing lots of salt, and with lots of pepper added to it, the strong taste created by this sauce masks that of dishes cooked with staple foods that are not always fresh. Fridges are rarely found in the bamboo huts built in the middle of paddy fields.
The ENT and digestion illnesses are due to the betel quid which both men and women alike consume in large quantities. The quid is made of a leaf and pieces of betel nut to which spices are added, some liquorice wood shavings and small pieces of tobacco leaves. To digest the juice obtained by chewing, the betel leaf is coated in a layer of lime. The mix wreaks havoc with the mouth which very quickly becomes toothless and also in the digestive system. Abusive consumption of spices also surely increases these pathologies.
Alcohol abuse. As in most countries, there are two types of alcoholism, that which is almost incurable as addiction is so strong, and that which you can treat. The consequence of these passing excesses are often linked to the monotony of life as there is not a lot to do once the rice has been planted, harvested and the paddy fields ploughed.
With regards to childhood illnesses, there is nothing in particular to inform you about. Children suffer from the same illnesses as us, but the systematic vaccinations are not given, even against Tuberculosis, cases of which are becoming widespread. The BCG vaccination as we know it in Europe, is not active here.
As soon as we diagnose a case of Tuberculosis, we make sure that the patient is transferred to a specialized centre run by of the Department of Health in Rangoung, where they are provided with free treatment and recovery, in order to ensure straight away that they are not contagious if it is an open form of the illness. The treatment lasts several months.
There is one last thing that seems interesting to point out, which are the vitamin and nutritional deficiencies that we encounter. They are often not linked to a lack of food, but to a monotonous nutritional pattern from always eating the same foods, which are often low in protein.
When we analyze these preliminary disease statistics of inhabitants of the Irrawaddy Delta region where we pass, it appears that they are often linked to lifestyle, behaviour and when they secure work for the whole season or not, according to when it rains such as during monsoon, or when the climate is dry like in winter when the temperatures are mild for this latitude (between 18 and 30 degrees) and in summer when it is very hot (between 25 and 45 degrees).
It is about time that I also give you some news on your boat, on the crew and on the medical team.
For the boat, we did not have to face new problems with the structure. Its monthly maintenance in Rangoon allowed us to repair its problems with navigation which regularly appear. During its 2 week break for its full check in October, we took the opportunity to change the location of the central pharmacy and the laboratory, so that it is no longer joined to the treatment room, where they carry out deliveries and operations. For the crew, no significant changes, other than the arrival of a new cook/mechanic.
For the medical team, it has become stronger with another nurse/operating nurse. Thanks to your donations we have been able to buy a monitoring device which is much needed for operations done under epidural.
Since October and until the end of February we have a German doctor on board who specializes in ultrasound which improves the training of our doctor and two of our nurses.
The solidarity of the village people is notorious. Just when it is necessary for one of them to have a blood transfusion, we immediately find a donor to obtain one or even several units of blood.
After the necessary checks have been carried out by our laboratory technician, the collected blood is transfused.
The distribution of reading glasses donated by the STIFUNGLIFE association has also been very well received. It is amazing to see the immediate satisfaction it provides to those who, without this accessory, cannot see up close.
For our mission number 15, starting on 8th January, colouring books were sent, also donated by the association STIFUNGLIFE, for children who come on board either for treatment or to accompany their parents.
With a circulation of 10,000 copies, this 12-page book illustrates what the “SWIMMING DOCTORS” trips bring to the villages and the phone number of the boat.
It is handed over to the children with a box of 8 coloured crayons. One page is left almost blank so that they can draw their own boat.
During the last months of 2012 these pages will be gathered up and presented to a panel of artists from the Fine Arts Academy in Myanmar. The three best drawings will allow these children’s villages to receive financial help in order to construct or renovate something or some shared equipment.
The first semester already started for 10 days, promises to be good, since, thanks to your donations, it will allow us to continue to bring medical help and treatment to people in the remote villages of the delta that the Swimming Doctors provide.
SCHOOL N°7 of NORTH OKKALAPA
It was on 11th December last year that the ribbon was cut for the inauguration by the Director of Education for the Irrawaddy division and balloons flew in the skies or North Okkalapa.
An extremely colourful, loud ceremony, with songs and traditional dances – in a word : very happy.
Teachers and students were spread outside and throughout the school.
A double guard of honour was formed by the students and by teachers, wearing the local costume of the principal ethnic groups of Myanmar as it is still possible to see them in the countryside on market days and holidays.
Here, one group danced and the other sang
As everywhere, the arrival of the officials was solemn
It was then time for the thank you speech. Phyo, the representative of our association, could not escape.
Then came the graduation to celebrate the event. Your association received a diploma which was given to Phyo.
In our previous bulletin I showed you the illustration of how the new building constructed in the middle of the plot would look,
Here it is completed.
As a photo is worth more than a thousand words, here is the same classroom before and after in one of the renovated buildings.
Here are the classrooms in the new building
The entirety of the works, whether they were for the renovation of the 2 side buildings, the construction of the central building or the height extension of the whole plot, , with the view of being out of the water during the rainy season, was finished for €80,230, a cost-overrun of €230 compared to the initial cost estimate.
During the works, Anne Marie, your Treasurer, came on site and the Director of the School gave her a tour.
Mr Gessner, the President of the STIFUNGLIFE association, which has supported and financed this project that we have worked on, also came on a number of occasions to see the work in progress.
Also from Hong Kong was the d’Auriol family, who are members of our association. Coincidentally they were present at the time of the inauguration.
« Sponsorship of a child’s education »
A big thank you to those of you who have sponsored a boy or girl and sometimes even two. As the school year was well underway, I preferred to choose children only for school year 2012/2013 starting next June.I thought that we had already done alot, directly and indirectly, for this school since it was your organization that financed the furnishing of these new classrooms, so I decided that your donations will help children in a school for orphans run by monks, situated in a monastery in the heart of Rangoun.
This school is much too small for the 150 pupils that study there. Those who teach are sometimes monks or teachers provided by the public education sector. Building a new building is one of the other objectives of our association for this new year.
For those of you who would like to sponsor a child, you can just send us a donation, with the amount listed below, specifying whether you would like the recipient to be a boy or a girl. Tuition fees per child are €15 a month, or €150 for one school year.
Anne Marie, Nicolas and I would like you to accept and share with your nearest and dearest our very best wishes for 2012.
We would like to thank you in advance for your gifts, which will allow us to continue our actions throughout the year.
François Kenedi – Vice President
In order to support the actions of your association, we would be grateful if you could send your donations to:
Zawgyi Care, Face au 52 quai le Gallo – 92100 Boulogne Billancourt – France
Download the bulletin of donation here
La lune est déjà haute lorsque nous montons à bord des deux barques de pécheurs qui nous ramènent au pont de Dedaye où le camion nous attend depuis 9 heures du matin. Trois heures plus tard après être tombé en panne d’essence pour cause de réservoir trop petit pour la distance (une bouteille d’eau en plastique d’un litre) nous le retrouvons et après encore trois heures de route dont je vous fais la grâce de ne pas vous narrer les ecchymoses qui en résultent, nous finissons cette journée commencée 23 heures plus tôt.
Le camion est ponctuel au rendez-vous.
Route pour Kungyangon. Il fait grand beau. La route commence à nous être familière. Si les engins de travaux publics sont toujours à l’œuvre ce qui est émouvant c’est qu’aux files d’enfants qui, il y a quelques semaines, espéraient recevoir quelques nourritures ou friandises jetées des voitures succèdent des files d’enfants revêtus de leurs uniformes d’écolier. Garçons et filles portent la même jupe longue unisexe verte qui se nomme longyi pour elles et passo pour eux. Tous ont une blouse ou une chemisette blanche. Parachevant la tenue ils portent en bandoulière un sac, sorte de cabas, en coton souvent vert aussi. La rentrée scolaire qui habituellement est le 1er juin a eu lieu dès que la restauration des bâtiments a permis de les recevoir. Entre Rangoun et Kungyangon nous en croisons beaucoup.
A Kungyangon, ville importante, l’activité de tous a repris. La rivière qui la traverse est le seul moyen pour atteindre les kilomètres carrés de rizière du sud de la Yangon division. C’est au pont de la route qui mène à Seik Gyi qu’est notre lieu de rendez-vous. Sous l’œil vigilant des doctoresses Phyo garde le camion pendant que les garçons cherchent le bateau qui doit nous mener au village. Les villageois qui nous attendent très vite nous repèrent et le transbordement commence. Le soleil est déjà haut mais comme il a plu durant la nuit la rive est très glissante. Bien que le bateau soit grand nous nous rendons vite compte qu’il n’y suffira pas. Pour ne faire qu’un seul voyage il faut rapidement en trouver un autre. Finalement ce sont deux plus petits qui prendront l’excédent, l’un les bouteilles d’huile, l’autre les fait-tout et les tongues.
L’idée est d’organiser un tirage au sort, un lucky draw. Malgré ma réticence elle me convainc que c’est le moyen pour que le hasard, le sort désigne ceux qui repartiront avec en plus de notre sac ration soit un fait-tout, soit une paire de tongs, soit… rien. La solution adoptée aussitôt 480 petits morceaux de papiers sont roulés et pliés, 60 portent le mot manuscrit Tongs, 236 le mot Fait-tout et 184 blancs. Je reste dubitatif…