Another few minutes drive away, the next community we visit is called Chiripa. Here we meet our 2nd community health worker called Mercedes Peratta Ruiz, an elder lady with a lot of experience. She has been a health volunteer since 1981. Not just malaria.

He main motivation is that she loves to collaborate with other people. In years past, many people were dying of malaria. In recent years, not as many.

She remembers a pregnant lady about 14 years ago who tested positive for malaria – the bad kind. Mercedes offered treatment, but the woman refused to take it, believing the pills could harm the baby. 30 Days after birth, the baby started to get a fever. The CHW said :”take the baby to the hospital now!” The mother said she did not have enough money. Mercedes paid for transport to the hospital, but it was already too late. The baby did not survive.

The biggest change is that today, everybody realizes the importance of treatment. “There is more education today”, she says. And less malaria.

When she started, there were about 150 cases a year in her community. Now, since December, nobody came to visit her. The people who are seen getting tested, in order of appearance, are the CHW’s granddaughter Lesly Romelia Pineda Medina, the CHW’s grandson Derick José Pineda Medina. Both are underaged so Mercedes signed the release forms.