Floods in Budalangi

Since mid-August there has been flooding in the Budalangi region of Busia District. Part of a dyke near Mukabola health center gave way. The picture above shows people standing at the broken end of the dyke on day it collapsed. Apparently this happens almost every year at the end of the long rains. Year after year, the people in the area are displaced by flooding until the water evaporates and the dyke is repaired. Then they go back to their regular houses, or build a new hut if the old house was destroyed. According to members of our team who work at the health center, the water levels are higher this year and more people are displaced into makeshift camps. I'm hoping they build a stronger dyke this time around. They said the last one was weak becuase it was built by a "lady engineer."

Because MSF is a NGO dedicated to medical care in vulnerable populations, we are focusing mostly on health-related consequences of the floods. Gabriella, the doctor I work with from Argentina (pic in canoe below), goes out by bike, boat, and on foot to make sure the rural clinics have enough medicine and supplies. The logistics department also helped with building latrines and distribution of water tanks, mosquito nets, and water purification tablets. The pictures below show people displaced by the floods in their camps.