Air-clinic writing contest: Mosquitoes and the African man

Papa and I sat in the front of the house under our Cashew tree, we had just finished eating dinner of Cocoyam and Ofe Onugbu that Mama had cooked.
Even though she was recovering from sickness, Mama didn't fail to deliver sumptuous cuisine.

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I watched Papa as he rested his back on his chair and used his shirt to hit his leg repeatedly, he was not wearing anything apart from his old wrapper.

Now, growing up I used to think using your shirt to hit your legs and your body was a sign of maturity and contentment. Don't blame me, I was naive.

But when Chukwuemeka came to the village, he taught us some of the things which included Malaria and it's effect.

"Papa, do you think you are tackling the mosquitoes by beating them with your shirt?"

"Ojugo, my daughter I am only trying to ward them off.." Papa answered still waving his shirt.

"Papa, do you know about Malaria?"

"Was that not what the Village nurse said is wrong with your mother, all those white-man sickness..." He answered in detest.

"Papa, that Malaria is caused by this things you are trying to ward off" I replied in was confidence.

"Mosquitoes kwa...this tiny things that fly up and down?" Papa asked shocked.

You can imagine the chill of pride that came over me

"Yes Papa, this things can kill o. All they do is to land on your skin, take your blood and put their own saliva in your blood and there is a small thing that is contained in the saliva that causes Malaria, sometimes even to the brain causing Cerebral Malaria resulting into death" I explained to him.

"Shuuuu..." Papa exclaimed.

"But it is preventable" I reassured him.

"Ojugo tell me o" He lamented.

"Keep your environment clean, use insecticide treated mosquito nets and insects repellants and always make sure that you report any symptoms of the Disease to the health center for adequate treatment" I explained.

"Fever, loss of blood, yellowing of the eyes, fatigue, loss of weight are symptoms" I explained further.

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