Missionaries Still Need Mission Health Training 2009

I'm Just Wondering....

...why, over the last 7 years, I have met nothing but a stone wall with mission leaders and mission pastors regarding their missionaries... both short-term and long-term... to take a little time and recieve training, especially preventative, in the sub-speciality of Missionary Health for themselves... ??

These leaders have pretty much blown me off, citing either theological "God will protect them/us" stuff (which is not supported by the fact that half of the field missionarues in the 1800's died of Malaria, Cholera or Yellow Fever... which is hugely preventable now), or that 'we'll just deal with any illnesses IF they happen"... assuming they will be mild little problems that a week of antibiotics will take care of... also writ large in that is "we don't have time/money to do all that stupid health stuff... so stop bothering me..."

I get that alot.

Case To Point of why this is a bad idea: Center for Disease Control (CDC) Report 16 Apr 09

I just recieved my weekly CDC update.

Here is the ABSTRACT: "CDC received reports of 1,505 cases of malaria among persons in the United States, including one transfusion-related case and one fatal case, with onset of symptoms in 2007. The highest estimated relative case rates of malaria among travelers occurred among those returning from West Africa. Of 701 U.S. civilians who acquired malaria abroad, 441 (62.9%) reported that they had not followed an appropriate chemoprophylactic drug regimen. Persons at risk for malaria infection should take one of the recommended chemoprophylaxis regimens appropriate for the region of travel and use personal protection measures to prevent mosquito bites."

(Reference:
http://www.cdc.gov:80/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5802a1.htm?s_cid=ss5802a1_e

April 17, 2009 / 58(SS02);1-16
Malaria Surveillance --- United States, 2007
Sonja Mali, MPH Stefanie Steele, RN, MPH Laurence Slutsker, MD, MPH Paul M. Arguin, MD )

COMMENTARY: Malaria is a horrible disease to contract. Even when you take the pills, you can still get a minor case with lesser long-term problems... but Malaria kills 9 million people every year in the world... including missionaries. I have had 3 cases of returning missionaries in my practice who didn't take the meds or do the 'don't get bit!" stuff, and they got cerebral malaria and still can't walk a straight line and have all kinds of health issues, many years later...

Seeing the CDC data, and the "441 (62.9%) reported that they had not followed an appropriate chemoprophylactic drug regimen"... I'm Just Wondering how many of that reported number of Americans who contracted Malaria in West Africa were pastors or missionaries who didn't take the meds because "God will protect us" or "we'll just deal with it if it happens" or "I ain't got time/money"...?

CLOSING: I have posted on my website www.bajmission.com a couple of general pages of missionary health stuff, mainly prevention... and prevention of the stuff that can kill you or really goof up your life for a long time. It's free of charge... I hope more people read it and do something about it!! And yes, I am still hoping to do seminar and training sessions for missionaries so the Stay Healthy on their Mission Trips... cbaj