Stay Out of the Water?

Some people are happy to hike to anything. For me, it's always been about the waterfalls. That’s why I was excited to learn that one of the top places to visit in Namibia is a series of cascades known as Epupa Falls. The falls lie on the Kunene River and are surrounded by a pristine environment of fig trees and colorful rock walls. They are home to many species of fish found nowhere else in the world. Their name comes from the Herero word for “foam” and today, the Himba do laundry and bathe at their base. Consequently, those visiting the tribe often have the chance to see the falls as well. 

Clearly, it’s possible to swim and play in the water, an activity that guides recommend to tourists; still, they warn visitors to beware lurking crocodiles. This warning got me wondering about the safety of the people who bathe there regularly. Do they have special strategies to avoid the crocs?

It also made me think back to our health orientation, when we learned about schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, a disease caused by parasites found in African fresh water. The larvae that cause the disease live in freshwater snails. Those infected by the parasites can experience internal bleeding and increased risk of cancer. Now, I was hoping to raft the Zambezi, so this made me nervous. But upon reflecting on it more, I realized I should be more worried about the people who have nowhere else to swim or bathe. When we visit Namibia, we can stay out of the water. But what about the people who live there?

After some research, I found that the parasite is less common in areas of running water. In rafting rapids, then, I should be relatively safe; perhaps this is also why the Himba bathe at Epupa Falls rather than at a still pool. Historically, there have been reports of schistosomiasis across Northern Namibia; however, initially, most confirmed cases were located in the Caprivi region. Later on, researchers found that dams increased the parasites prevalence upstream, in North-Central Namibia. According to recent figures, many people in Namibia, especially those without safe drinking water, are at risk for the disease, and it kills 200,000 in sub-Saharan Africa each year.

-Mini Racker


Sources:
http://www.namibian.org/travel/namibia/epupa-falls.html http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/25/world/yes-this-is-the-nile-but-don-t-go-near-the-water.html http://schisto.stanford.edu/pdf/Namibia.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epupa_Falls