The Gambia Healthcare experience, take one.

This week I was at the Royal Victoria hospital on Wednesday and today (Friday), and at a small clinic in a remote area known as Kubunheh.

The hospital is impressive considering we are in Africa. There are lots of fancy machines and facilities I did not expect. On the other hand, it is still a hospital in Africa. Sterility? Not so much. Air conditioning? Forget it.

On Wednesday I sat in the Emergency Room. Just like in America, there were lots of people waiting. Just like in America, there were people in there that didn't need to be in there. The only cases I saw were: a woman with hypoglycemia, a woman with hyperglycemia, and a highschooler who appeared to be having a panic attack (or was possibly faking it). So, sugar, insulin, and xanax or something like that were the treatments. *Yawn*

Thursday at the small clinic was completely different. First of all, this clinic is in the middle of NOWHERE, right next to expanse of nothing and field of grass; we arrived there via random dirt road. None of the patients spoke any English (many Gambians in the city do). I saw a child with malaria, two children with Yaws (skin infection common in children here), a pregnant woman who had headaches, a child with bad eczema, a man with a gaping arm wound, and a young boy with a large, infected burn on his right leg that he had gotten several days prior (who knows why he didn't come in sooner). I left the clinic nauseous and doubting my choice of career. I assume I contracted several illnesses from working there just one day. Nothing is clean, nothing is really sterile. I know that I'm a spoiled American who has only seen the over-precautious medicine practiced in developed nations, but this was a bit much for me.

The woman who owns the clinic is a retired British nurse who lives in a compound 10 minutes away on foot. We got to see it, and it was incredible. She had about 30 cats, 5 dogs, 3 birds, a monkey (!), a bunch of donkeys and goats, and some ducks and chickens. I mean, it was a zoo. She retired here and loves her life. Truly remarkable!

Today I spent the half day (it's a half day here on Fridays) at the neonatal unit. Tiny babies with tiny hands and little help or hope. We were told that most children born before 32 weeks gestational age do not make it. There is no surfactant, there are no ventilators. The neonatal unit was far from clean (as is everything here).

Must leave, no more time at internet cafe!