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MILITARY
MEDICINE
in the relief food provided, recalling though that this is limited been no coordinated research by the CDC and WHO to explore
to children. Suspects Dr. Gazda, “There’s so much information any other causes” Dr. Gazda points out.
that we think is out there, but the fog of war is keeping data hid-
den, being shielded, never to be published, so we may never know “The Government wants this to be the answer, so there are
what caused it.” more questions about “nodding syndrome.” Dr. Gazda believes
Nodding Syndrome is similar to a late onset form of autism, a
There are more questions than answers. Data recently cited in condition affecting millions of children all over the world. So why
various media sources like NPR and as identifying the source as is this important to a neurologist 8,500 miles away? Why was
a parasite from the black fly, appears flawed due to investigator Hope for Humans founded here?
bias that ignores inconvenient considerations… “Why do we only
see it in one part of the world, where these conditions also exist “We are all interconnected in this world and in this day and
elsewhere … a ‘black fly’ parasite that’s also evident in South age … disease knows no boundaries. Other diseases: Zika, HIV,
America and throughout Africa.” Ebola, all started in East Africa and like them, I fully expect one
day we’ll see Nodding Syndrome in new and other regions.
Her suspicions are echoed by Kilak Member of Ugandan Par-
liament Gilbert Olanya, a member of the Nodding Syndrome A larger payoff: If this mystery was further studied, we’d learn
Task Force. He claims the report disseminated "Does not hold a lot about epilepsy, autism, and about environmentally induced
water." But funding for this research, primarily from the Ugandan diseases.
Government, flows in a direction that doesn’t permit full disclo-
sure of the war’s details, chemicals and materiel used. “This research would help advance medicine … all over the
world!” concludes the San Antonio neurologist.
“It’s much easier to blame an infection from a fly but there’s
David Schulz is a member of the BCMS Publications Committee.
visit us at www.bcms.org 37
