The ARC lab team at Umpiem Mai works really hard. They do a lot, with not a lot of resources. They’re the center of malaria and infectious disease control at the camp, testing and diagnosing patients. Without them and their work, malaria might go untreated, families would struggle with containing the disease.
But because of the few resources they have to cover costs, things sometimes slip by unnoticed. The problem, though, is that these little things can turn into big things. Like having an ancient mop to clean the floors – soon, the floors just never get quite clean enough. And the lab team’s hard work can only go so far when cleaning is an issue.
That’s why Ajjima had the idea to change things – in a really simple way. Get new cleaning materials.
“Keeping things really clean is one of our infection control methods,” said Ajjima. “It’s crucial that we keep clean. It’s important to the lab.”
It was easy to get the team new mops, buckets, brooms, towels, and new trash bins where they can separate hazardous waste. And Ajjima saw this as a great opportunity to continue educating the team on waste management, making sure things are categorized properly.
“When people in the community come here and to the hospital, they’ll see what a great job we’re doing here,” said Ajjima. “This will make them feel really happy. I can say that.”
