Bhutan

Real lives

Motorcycles and the art of polio eradication

© UNICEF Bhutan/2002/

Jurgen Homann administers polio drops

By Tashi Phuntshom, consultant writer

THIMPHU, 24 February 2003 -- It isn't quite Robert Persig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." The journey that Jurgen Homann, 35, has undertaken on his BMW motorbike is not about spiritual transformation but about campaigning to eradicate polio in the developing world.

Jurgen, a tall, soft-spoken German, is part of a three-man team that in February 2001 embarked on a venture to criss-cross most of the world on motorcycle in a bid to help UNICEF and its partners raise money and awareness to combat polio.

The venture is completely self-funded. "I put all my savings into the campaign. We have no donors as such besides those who support by way of free services," he said. In some cases they get assistance from companies such as BMW for spare parts, and airline companies covering motorcycle freight. The game plan is that every time a member – the team also features Dirk Bachmann and Mario Negre - runs out of funds, he goes back to work and once replenished, joins the team wherever it may be.

The project kicked off in Chile, launch pad for traversing Latin America. The United States, Europe, and Asia followed. After clocking up tens of thousands of kilometres on his 800 CC motorbike, Jurgen, a former management consultant with Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, arrived in the landlocked mountainous kingdom of Bhutan on 3 August 2002. UNICEF Bhutan country office offered logistical support by facilitating local programme, travel, and meeting with officials and media.

From his discussions with health officials and related organizations in Bhutan, Jurgen found that polio had been eradicated in1986. However, there are fears the virus could re-emerge there due to the risk of entry from neighbouring countries, particularly India.

In Bhutan, Jurgen travelled through five districts, visiting hospitals, distant Basic Health Units and outreach clinics. He was accompanied by Dr. Hemlal Sharma, UNICEF Project Manager health and nutrition. Jurgen was quite surprised to find that people here were much more aware and prepared regarding health issues such as polio than those of other countries.

"Though I don't have a medical background and can't really say much, from what I see and know, the Bhutanese government has a strong commitment to provide its people with basic health facilities, even to those in the remotest villages, all for free" he said. "And this is a great thing your government is doing. The joint efforts with UNICEF are commendable. You should keep up the vaccination practice. The government is aware of this and therefore trying to reach all parts of the nation and that is the only way to succeed."

Personable by nature, Jurgen is completely focused on his work. A quick introduction, a flash of a smile and then it's down to business. He goes about thoroughly inspecting the refrigerator and its content of vaccines, the transfer box that is carried by health workers to remote areas and is quick to discuss issues of diseases other than polio such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS where his vast knowledge becomes apparent. His background in engineering also comes in handy when he explains that a more stocked refrigerator consumes less energy than one sparsely filled.

In all the areas, he found a well-established cool chain system for vaccines, even in those areas without electricity, where kerosene run refrigerators were used. His observations: "absolutely positive, the cool chain system which is the backbone for vaccinations is well established and monitored. All the units and centres are spacious and well maintained with a very high level of hygiene."

The only drawback, if it can be called that, he felt was the under-utilisation of the Basic Health Units.

"A Basic Health Unit here is better than a hospital in Cambodia, although these units are not very busy. People should go more to the basic health units than the main hospital which is overcrowded with patients. There may not be a doctor at the unit but the time that the health staff can spare for a patient at the unit will be much more valuable than that at the hospital."

Jurgen came to Bhutan at a time when equally innovative methods were afoot to raise consciousness and funds for health issues. The Minister for Health and Education was just about to undertake a 560 kilometre "Move for Health" trek across the rugged country. The sponsored 16-day walk which ended in October 2002, raised over $1 million for Bhutan's Health Trust Fund (see website).

Taking up a campaign on polio and actually meeting the afflicted are two very different experiences, the latter leaving a lasting impression upon the campaigner.

"I went through different phases," said Jurgen, who has a degree in engineering and an MBA. "At first I felt uncomfortable on seeing many desperate people afflicted with polio. Later I got used to it, but by getting used to it I don't forget what it means to them. Each and every single person has his or her own problem. I simply try to help them with a smile. By being positive."

Says Anoja Wijeyesekera, UNICEF Representative in Bhutan: "What Jurgen is doing is fantastic for a person, to give up a job as a management consultant and devote his life to raising funds for children at his own expense. I wish there were more people like him who devoted their lives to the cause of children. His campaign is already a success and he will also be raising funds in New Zealand and Germany."

Modest as he may be, Jurgen is an ordinary guy who has taken up an extraordinary task. Has the campaign had any impact on his general outlook on life? "Oh yes, for much," he says. "There are times in life when you take decisions without realising the consequences of that moment, but which change your life forever."

He says the venture is the best thing he's done. "At the start, we really didn't know what was going to happen. It was just an idea and here I am. This also got me thinking that if you really want to do something, there is nothing you can't achieve."