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Story2: An Enthusiastic Greengrocer's Recovery
Note: This article is based on the interviews conducted in March 2023. For privacy reasons, the names of the interviewees have been abbreviated.
About a 10-minute drive from Sadamau, another village in the Lucknow district, lay an urban hamlet where we met GP, a 57-year-old produce shop owner and PSG member. His journey with LF had begun at age 37, marked by frequent fevers in the early years. Initially, he had sought treatment at a private hospital, where he was prescribed costly antifebrile, painkiller, and antibacterial medications. While these pills had eased his fever, his feet gradually enlarged to the point where he could neither walk nor wear shoes.
It wasn't until two years before that GP learned about and began taking the medicines distributed through the Mass Drug Administration (MDA). CFAR officer explained that community health work by ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) often focused on rural areas, which may have delayed reaching this urban community. Now in his second year of medication, GP had noticed a significant improvement in his feet. Like other PSG members, he found daily exercise particularly helpful and could now walk actively and wear shoes again.
One of the most rewarding aspects of joining PSG for GP had been gaining knowledge he could share with others. When one of his relatives had also been diagnosed with LF, he had successfully convinced her to take the prescribed medicines from the hospital. He then used his own experience to persuade others who were reluctant to take the medication, showing them his swollen feet as a warning of what could happen if they didn't take treatment.
When asked about his wishes for life improvement, GP cheerfully responded, "I learned that anything can get better. I got confidence. I have something to teach others."
As we departed, GP gifted us a bag of vegetables, his actions and manner toward CFAR officers reflecting his deep gratitude and trust. This gesture seemed to underscore the empowering impact of the PSG network, which had helped him understand the cause of his long-time suffering and equipped him with the knowledge to help others.
熱心な八百屋の復活
ラクナウ地区のサダマウ村から車で10分ほどの場所にある都市部の集落で、我々は57歳の八百屋の店主でPSGメンバーのGPと出会った。彼のリンパ系フィラリア症（LF症）との闘いは37歳の時に始まり、初期は頻繁な発熱に悩まされていた。最初は私立病院で治療を受け、高価な解熱剤や鎮痛剤、抗菌薬を処方された。これらの薬で熱は下がったものの、徐々に足が腫れ上がり、歩くことも靴を履くこともできなくなってしまった。
集団投薬（MDA）を通じて配布される薬について知り、服用を始めたのは2年前のことだった。CFARの担当者によると、ASHAs（公認社会保健活動家）によるコミュニティヘルスワークは主に農村部に焦点を当てていたため、この都市部のコミュニティへの支援が遅れた可能性があるとのことだった。投薬を始めて2年目にして、GPは足の状態が大きく改善したことを実感していた。他のPSGメンバー同様、毎日の運動が特に効果的で、現在では活発に歩き、靴も履けるようになっている。
GPにとってPSGに参加して最もやりがいを感じたことは、他者と共有できる知識を得られたことだった。親戚の一人もLF症と診断された際、病院で処方された薬を服用するよう説得することができた。その後も、薬を飲むことに消極的な人々に対して、自身の経験を活かし、腫れた足を見せ、治療を受けないとどうなるかを教え説いて回るようになった。
日頃の生活の中で、良くしたいと願っていることは何かと尋ねると、GPは明るく答えた。「どんな物事も良くなるということを学び、自信を持っています。私には、人々に教えていかなければならない知識があります」
我々が帰る際、GPは自身の店の野菜の入った袋を手渡してくれた。CFARの職員に対する彼の態度からは、深い感謝と信頼の念が伝わってきた。彼の振る舞いは、長年の苦しみの原因を理解し、他者を助けるための知識を得ることができた互助ネットワークの意義を象徴しているようだった。