2 Children died last month due to Dengue Fever and Snakebite.
Borneo blog
I am sad to break the disturbing news, that we have had two fatalities among the children in the Humana Learning Centres during the past days. Since the tragic death of our teacher Suprianus Diro July 2004, we have been spared of fatalities among both children and staff.
One is an 11 year old girl, who has been a pupil for 5 years in our centre in Linbar 2 plantation under IOI. She was bitten by a cobra inside the family’s kitchen only 3 days ago (I was informed the day after). Linbar 2 is at this time flooded, so that even our teacher could not attend our last meeting. The staff transported her by 4 WD car through the only open route to the hospital in Sandakan, where she died 4 hours after being bitten. I understand that anti venom must be given within one hour of being bitten, and due to the circumstances, I think they have done their very best to save her. Only a helicopter might have given her a chance to survive.
The other child was a new pupil in the school in Kg. Tandoan, Timbun Mata, who was admitted with Dengue Fever to the hospital in Semporna and died soon after. The health authorities have been there to take precautions, so that this should not spread.
We are making a collection among all parents for the families of the two children. The money collected in Lahad Datu will go for the child in Kg. Tandoan, while we collect for the child in Linbar 2 in the Sandakan schools. Teachers and staff in Humana will also contribute.
If anyone else is interested in contributing, you are welcome!
We are advising all teachers to take special precautions agains these and other dangers, that face our children.
But the two deaths are tragic exceptions, as there is no doubt that the health situation for plantation children has improved a lot compared to 10 years ago, where malaria fatalities where normal. I am at this time looking for a nurse, who we will employ, and who will have the job to travel to each of our centres and register the health situation of each child, and to give advises as to proper hygiene.
Yours sincerely
Torben Venning
I am sad to break the disturbing news, that we have had two fatalities among the children in the Humana Learning Centres during the past days. Since the tragic death of our teacher Suprianus Diro July 2004, we have been spared of fatalities among both children and staff.
One is an 11 year old girl, who has been a pupil for 5 years in our centre in Linbar 2 plantation under IOI. She was bitten by a cobra inside the family’s kitchen only 3 days ago (I was informed the day after). Linbar 2 is at this time flooded, so that even our teacher could not attend our last meeting. The staff transported her by 4 WD car through the only open route to the hospital in Sandakan, where she died 4 hours after being bitten. I understand that anti venom must be given within one hour of being bitten, and due to the circumstances, I think they have done their very best to save her. Only a helicopter might have given her a chance to survive.
The other child was a new pupil in the school in Kg. Tandoan, Timbun Mata, who was admitted with Dengue Fever to the hospital in Semporna and died soon after. The health authorities have been there to take precautions, so that this should not spread.
We are making a collection among all parents for the families of the two children. The money collected in Lahad Datu will go for the child in Kg. Tandoan, while we collect for the child in Linbar 2 in the Sandakan schools. Teachers and staff in Humana will also contribute.
If anyone else is interested in contributing, you are welcome!
We are advising all teachers to take special precautions agains these and other dangers, that face our children.
But the two deaths are tragic exceptions, as there is no doubt that the health situation for plantation children has improved a lot compared to 10 years ago, where malaria fatalities where normal. I am at this time looking for a nurse, who we will employ, and who will have the job to travel to each of our centres and register the health situation of each child, and to give advises as to proper hygiene.
Yours sincerely
Torben Venning
posted by tvenning @ 11:22 PM
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