The dark storm clouds on the horizon at dusk are typical of the wet season in Sudan. On this particular day, the wind that normally heralds the daily drenching of our compound had abated. It almost seemed it was in reverence to Tik, an 8-year-old Dinka girl, walking home leaning on her father and using a stick to compensate for her stiff-legged gait. A simple leg wound for Tik had translated into 3 weeks of painful muscle spasms as a result of tetanus. After successful treatment with diazepam, antibiotics and nutritional support, she was going home to her tent in the refugee camp. Another tent in the camp sheltered severely malnourished children receiving food and medicine from a non-government organisation in this remote area of war-torn Sudan.
Tik returning home after treatment for tetanus (pictured with Katherine Hale)
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None identified.