Not long ago I climbed the highest mountain in my favorite park in Swaziland, Malalocha. This peak is only slightly shy of the highest peak in Swaziland. Around 1800 meters. The hike was beautiful and our stop at the top allowed us to take in some beautiful scenery as well as contemplate a few important issues. Such as the one that has been on my mind for quite a while. I write and write about HIV and children with HIV and how this disease is devastating. Well, I forget that just living in places without access to clean water and nearby health facilities is also devastating. Diarrhea is one of the biggest killers of children worldwide. I see it all the time. Even children who make it to the hospital often arrive too late. Last week I returned to my rural clinic in Swaziland, and learned that diarrhea had claimed another life. Was I too late in starting ARVs? Did a side effect of the ARVs cause diarrhea? Or was it simply a viral or bacterial illness, and brought to medical attention too late? We’ll never know. But this is a good reminder that simple illnesses can turn deadly very quickly. I have seen it all too often.
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