m&e to the rescue

after a heated debate with one of the backpack medics about whether or not it was possible for a field medic to prescribe an incorrect malarial treatment plan that ended in a consultation with the original paper form, it turns out that a medic in one western state was giving out three days of artesunate/doxy combination therapy rather than the seven days that were needed.

if that doesn't make you really excited about data, i don't know what would.

it took me a long time to get across in english the idea that it could be a mistake in the field rather than in the database. because the medic i was working with knew what the treatment should be, it just didn't make sense to him why someone wouldn't give the correct dosage.

when he understood what i was getting at, there was this really intense flash of recognition tinged with horror that came over his face (not finishing malarial meds breeds resistance.) that i will never forget.

yay, monitoring and evaluation!

the backpack health worker team, by the way, is a group of medics that provide primary health care in ethnic armed areas of burma where healthcare is otherwise unavailable. they carry in medical supplies purchased in thailand and provide a range of care, health education and prevention services, maternal and child health services and human rights documentation to idp's in burma. oftentimes, they find people as they're fleeing their villages as the spdc is burning them down and help them to reach safety.

everyday i'm there i sit in total awe of them.