Please respond to the main discussion and reply to the peer discussion.

“Schistosomiasis in Lake Victoria: A Community Health Volunteer’s Story” illustrates how economic activities closely linked to local cultures can have a direct impact on disease occurrence. Think of the socio-economic troubles that the people who work in Lake Victoria experience and explain several different ways in which these problems could be addressed.

Peer Discussion

Schistosomiasis is a water born disease, meaning this disease is transmitted from the larvae that live in the water. The larvae then swim in the pores of the human. This community and its people must work very hard to make a living. Many of the village people hold jobs that require them to be in the water daily. The people know what kind of illnesses and disease the water carries and yet they still take that chance daily. Poverty plays a large role in this, there are not many jobs to be had and the ones that are available run the risk of getting sick. Again, the people must work for a living I found the statement the volunteer said to be interesting, she stated “the disease is what makes them poor” I find this so interesting because I would have never thought about it like that. Although if you ponder that sentence for a minute, the disease causes them to be sick and unable to work which causes no food, no housing, no money by the time they are better they are so far behind that they are always working just to catch up. I can’t imagine that they make much money or have many resources so with the impact of losing what work is available is very detrimental to the survival of the community. Finding different ways to address the problems are going to be difficult. Like I stated above there are not many resources within these poverty-stricken communities. I think the first line of defense is education! I am sure many people know what diseases and illness they can contract from the waters, but there are some who don’t. Closing that education gap informing the community members about the disease, symptoms, when to seek medical help, and prevention. Water proof clothing such as water waiters would be a great resource for those working in the water, the resources are limited but it would be a great way to prevent the larvae from entering the pores of the workers.

ENDFund. (2014, January 02). Retrieved February 12, 2019, from

Guerrant, R. L., Walker, D. H., & Weller, P. F. (2011). Tropical infectious diseases: Principles, pathogens and practice. Edinburgh: Saunders Elsevier.

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