Pediatrics Ward and Orphan School

“You can do no great things. Only small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

I promise I’m not trying to be depressing but the healthcare system here is startling, disorganized, and blog-worthy. I’ve spent the past few days in the pediatrics ward and getting to know the hospital better. I have a few stories, both sad and uplifting, to share.

First, there was a middle-aged African male named Lucas. He came into the hospital with a machete wound. His lower leg was shattered and needed to be amputated. After having to wait a prolonged period of time to get the amputation once he was admitted, he developed complicated malaria and severe anemia septisimia while staying at the hospital. Yes, he developed a series of ailments from staying in a supposedly clean and controlled environment. Lucas died yesterday – the students and I visited the mortuary and saw his body. Lucas serves as a symbol of poor care and lost potential for us students. Note: For surgeries, there are different sets of clothes which are classified as “sterile” and “normal”. The sterile clothes are the ones which are used to clean open cuts as a surgery is being performed. I noticed, as we were leaving the mortuary, that both the sterile and normal clothes were washed and dried on the same clothing lines. How is that sanitary? How is that “sterile”? 

In the United States, the ‘normal’ hemoglobin (HB) count for blood in between 14-17. In Africa, the accepted HB is 10, meaning that the general health status of the patients is weak. Such low standards lead to higher chances of infections. Similar to Lucas, I saw a child with severe sickle cell anemia and who has developed cerebral palsy during her stay. Her mother has had to watch her daughter slowly deteriorate over the past 3 weeks. They moved the baby to acute patient care and despite the supposed “higher priority care”, the work performed on the child was mediocre. Because of the child’s sickle cell state, it needed to be under controlled hydration. Although she was technically hooked up to a saline source, the source wasn’t properly connected therefore the solution was simply falling onto the table instead of hydrating the child. The baby was dehydrating and the doctors didn’t even notice.

I observed a cesarean section yesterday. I had watched one in the states while doing research in high school. It was interesting to be able to compare and contrast the methodologies. Honestly, both times I watched the c-sections were quite similar but the primary difference was with the mother. The mother who was getting the c-section was from a tribe – a tribe that practiced female circumcision. To those unfamiliar with this practice, please take a moment to open a new tab and search this term on the internet.

Finally, we went to an orphan school today. The children were so playful and absolutely precious. When we first got there, the principal of the school greeted us mzungus (“non Africans” or more commonly, “white people”) and brought us to her office. She essentially asked us for donations and told us about how much she needed them. But, because she felt the need to be polite, she brought us all bottles of soda. How could we accept these cooled sodas when the school needed that money for the kids? We were so conflicted and we felt guilty. Other than this awkward moment, I was able to make some excellent new friends with the children. Although, I’m quite certain that they were more fascinated by my camera and my hair than by me. 

 The children at the orphan school

I’m going on a safari from Saturday until Monday. My next entry will be in a few days so be sure to look for more updates which will include magnificent tales in Masai Mara (Serengeti).