Slept like a log once I'd got my mosquito net to fit the bed - I have discovered that a copy of the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Surgery makes a brilliant wedge. Slept through the 4.30am call to prayer from the local orthodox christian church - Rob could not believe it.
Had a fantastic breakfast of fetira (looks like fried flatbread with honey drizzled over it and coffee - 2nd cup in 12 years - I'm gradually getting my taste for it back. So bombed by the coffee, we quick marched to the hospital to look round. We had a tour from Dr Asfar, the internist who is in charge of the students. At one point, he showed me a side room with blacked out windows. He asked me what I thought was treated in there. I guessed meningitis, but the answer was tetanus. They have cases so regularly, they have a designated room. He coudn't believe it when I said I had only ever seen one case in my life!
There is a medical ward (many more men than women - apparently men tend not to want to make a fuss if the women of the house get ill), surgical ward (lots of sigmoid volvulus due to high fibre diet), paediatrics, obs and gynae (very few hospital births but lots of ca cervix secondary to HIV), neonatal unit with a resuscitaire and a couple of warming cots,ED with approx 40 attendances per 24 hours (mainly acute shortness of breath secondary to pneumonia, heart failure secondary to rheumatic heart disease, and trauma from RTA's and fights. There is an OPD, with an appointments system for some patients. Psychiatry patients are treated on the medical ward - mainly depression and anxiety and quite a few young cases of DSH.
Drug prescriptions are free for HIV patients and TB patients. Prescriptions are also free for pregnant women. HIV patients are supported in the community by carers that seem to be organised by NGO's in the area.
After the tour, Dr Asfar arranged for me to teach for 2 hours tomorrow morning and again in the afternoon, 16 students in total. He has asked me to teach on stroke, so fairly safe ground!
We spent the afternoon going for a long walk around the town, trying to get into the more rural areas so Rob could spot for wild birds, with some success.
We celebrated with a delicious mango, avocado and papaya juice (in layers - very cool) at the juice bar next to the hotel.
Now for dinner and early night - tomorrow it's time for me to deliver....
Yours
Julie
Had a fantastic breakfast of fetira (looks like fried flatbread with honey drizzled over it and coffee - 2nd cup in 12 years - I'm gradually getting my taste for it back. So bombed by the coffee, we quick marched to the hospital to look round. We had a tour from Dr Asfar, the internist who is in charge of the students. At one point, he showed me a side room with blacked out windows. He asked me what I thought was treated in there. I guessed meningitis, but the answer was tetanus. They have cases so regularly, they have a designated room. He coudn't believe it when I said I had only ever seen one case in my life!
There is a medical ward (many more men than women - apparently men tend not to want to make a fuss if the women of the house get ill), surgical ward (lots of sigmoid volvulus due to high fibre diet), paediatrics, obs and gynae (very few hospital births but lots of ca cervix secondary to HIV), neonatal unit with a resuscitaire and a couple of warming cots,ED with approx 40 attendances per 24 hours (mainly acute shortness of breath secondary to pneumonia, heart failure secondary to rheumatic heart disease, and trauma from RTA's and fights. There is an OPD, with an appointments system for some patients. Psychiatry patients are treated on the medical ward - mainly depression and anxiety and quite a few young cases of DSH.
Drug prescriptions are free for HIV patients and TB patients. Prescriptions are also free for pregnant women. HIV patients are supported in the community by carers that seem to be organised by NGO's in the area.
After the tour, Dr Asfar arranged for me to teach for 2 hours tomorrow morning and again in the afternoon, 16 students in total. He has asked me to teach on stroke, so fairly safe ground!
We spent the afternoon going for a long walk around the town, trying to get into the more rural areas so Rob could spot for wild birds, with some success.
We celebrated with a delicious mango, avocado and papaya juice (in layers - very cool) at the juice bar next to the hotel.
Now for dinner and early night - tomorrow it's time for me to deliver....
Yours
Julie