http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Ghana , Volta en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 20:04:45 +0000 Thu, 23 May 2013 20:04:45 +0000 The most facinating thing to me is that Ghana has more agriculture growth than ths U.S.Ziem Der a guy from Ghana was born in 1948. He lives in Ghana39s poorest region Volta where 70 percent of the rural population and 43 percent of the urban population fall below the experience poverty line that means that he lives in region where has water scarce no sanitation power or facilities. Comparin http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-772233.html Marina and I were assigned to the antenatal ward to council and check up on expecting mothers. The mothers first had to register and then get called in for exam. We were shown to palpate the fundus and then listen to the fetal heart rate with a rudimentary heart monitor. I found I had to press so hard into the bloody thing to find a heartrate at times. Woman after woman kept coming in and I must http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-739880.html Austin was intrumental in arranging transport at the break of dawn with a driver known as paddy K. We headed north on a five hour journey that took us through Ho and then through Hahoe. The school had forbid us from going to that area due to a previous conflict but I don39t think they realized who they were dealing with. Finally we arrived in his village to view one of the most impressive water http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Ho/blog-739521.html Here39s a compilation of our final week at Sacred Heart Hospital. While we returned for a night at the Sitsope lodge our rooms on the actual compound were finally completed and ready to move into. This would make our lives slightly easier to be on the compound most of the time. Hartropp and Rosalind resuscitating a baby. Once saved they named him Brian Benjamin although his Apgar score was i http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-739366.html We walked to the hospital in the morning and saw some very cool village scenes. On we arrived rounds involved following up on the patient with the chest tube and we taught patient and staff members how to properly use an incentive spirometer. Then Rachel and myself proceeded to the consulting room where Dr. Kugbey seemed to be seeing an endless hoard of people who had piled into the OPD clinic an http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-739203.html After general rounds my assignment was to go to the male ward. Once there Dr. Emmanuel was doing rounds and I observed patients with subarachnoid hemmorhage chronic renal failure alcoholic cirrhosis etc. I observed several dressing changes and removed a foley catheter. Rosalind joined me and got me to begin teaching a head to toe assessment to the nursing students on the ward while she observ http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-739153.html The weekends gave us some free time to explore the area and take it easy. We organized an outing to go to a beach near the town of Keta. We hired a driver by the name of Alfonse who spoke French because his mother was from neighboring Togo. Along the way we passed through small villages and beautiful rice fields stopping for coconuts to consume. Once we arrived I quickly grabbed my day pack equi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-739075.html Rachel and I were assigned to the operating room on this day. Upon our arrival we were given a brief tour of the place. They seemed to have all the essential facilities such as operating tables vital sign operators coagulation devices suctioning devices etc. Sterility was still questionable at times yet they did their best to maintain as clean and environment as possible. The first minor surge http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-739073.html Some of us Rachel Held Hartropp and myself were selected to go on our first outreach mission to a small village about an hour east called Hatogodo. A few nurses were going along one named Noel was able to give me interesting bits of info regarding nursing in Ghana and I in turn explained how health care in Canada was. We arrived in the village square where several nurses were already set up http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-738332.html We arrived bright and early for breakfast and then began our tour of Sacred Heart Hospital where we'd be working for the next three weeks. The hospital itself was within a compound and had several rudimentary buildings as well as certain newer ones serving different functions. One of the nurses gave us a tour and introduced us to all the staff. I instantly noticed how resourceful they were with http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-738329.html Some photos since the last time...Photos include our trips to Accra Aburi at the end of week 2 and to Cape Coast and Elmina at the end of week 3. 39Our39 being the French volunteers Alice Emily Judith Noemi and Renaud and myself. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Aflao/blog-735093.html One thing amongst many that I have enjoyed in Ghana is learning peoples names. I have met girls named Patient Wonder Blessing Comfort and my favourite ThankGod. I have met boys named Ebeneezer Zerobabel Godsway and my favourite Godknows. Hi whats your name God knows I just think thats a great way to intro http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Aflao/blog-734030.html Some pictures from my time so far... A few of these are from my first day after arrival Sunday 1st July. It was a very rainy humid day. Sylva was the main photographer taking pictures of the children39s home his mother Baby who is the cook for the home and some of the other residents at the home. There39s also some pictures from our trip to Lake Volta over the last weekend. Finall http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Aflao/blog-729461.html I have been in Klikor Ghana for one week now. I must say from day 1 I have been made to feel very welcome by all the staff at the childrens home and the school where I will be working at the Guest House where I am lodging and by the children and community themselves. Klikor is a rural area where most of the population are farmers. The roads are dirt roads and can become quite difficult to man http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Aflao/blog-729458.html 1805I had the best time ever today I went on a day long safari. I had 2 get up extra early 5 am 2 catch a peek of all the fascinating animals. Its a good job my Camera has a very powerful zoom in because I wouldnt like 2 get near half of those animals I saw today. There was a giant scorpion birds crocodiles elephants leopards monkeys and lots more. Some tourists and guides and I tra http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Lake-Volta/blog-669414.html 1324 The Boat trip was fantastic There were so many amazing sights and people and most of all animals. It cost 3 USD United States Dollar for a 3 hours cruise. I got a great picture of Elephants right up close on the bank of the lake. They were huge The sailor told me they weigh up to 7500kg. This afternoon I plan 2 go fishing but first Im going 2 an African Caf. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Lake-Volta/blog-669408.html 2117 Today was amazing Ive booked a Boat trip for tomorrow just after lunch. Lake Volta as I found out is the largest reservoir by surface area in the world and its manmade Its completely all in Ghana and cost the country 70 million. It takes up over 3.6 of Ghanas land and is 6 degrees of Latitude north to the Equator. I had a picnic next to the Lake and I saw loads of unusua http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Lake-Volta/blog-669407.html I have been here for just over a week and I am loving it. I have been to Accra Ho including the colony of cured lepers and been to a community that was one and a half hours drive away from where I am staying in Ho. I have spent 3 days in the hospital and have worked in the O.P.D outpatient department and Pediatrics. Tomorrow we are doing an outreach to a place near Hohoe and we will be http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Ho/blog-619421.html I arrived in Ho last night and went to a bar around the corner from the house with 2 of the other volunteers. I went to the town centre this morning and might be going back tonight. It39s a surreal experience as I39ve seen scenes like it on television and in films but it is almost exactly the same. The accommodation is good and the other volunteers are great I think that on friday I39 http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Ho/blog-617405.html Right so last week we actually did some proper work. On Monday I called all of the local schools and organised to go in and do talks to them over the coming weeks on HIV and MalariaAnimal Bites.On Tuesday we went into the maternal health centre as usual although again nobody turned up which was also the case today we are going to try one last time this Thursday and then give it a break for a http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Volta/Ho/blog-614366.html