it starts with singing

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Thismorning began with an early drive back to the Bara. The working day began at 7am with a round of over 30 doctors and students all wearing the same blue scrubs strolling around the hospital. The hospital itself seems to get bigger every few steps. During the morning rounds, the nursing and ancillary staff in each ward join, singing loud choral African music. The sunny weather, echoes of singing and the friendliness of the doctors made for a joyful beginning. After rounds there was a bullet fast M and M meeting at which the staff sat around the table in rank order with the students sitting on a bench against the wall. Thankfully this was the only time during the day when our reception was anything but gracious.







Andrew and I put up our hands to do the ward rotation for the day. Surgical ward 1 is comprised of a long hall with four rows of beds and is for the most part clean and sunny. The shift involves a comprehensive round where the students write a list of all the jobs to be done, helping the interns complete the jobs before <span> another round at about midday and then finishing up the leftover or new jobs. The average patient today was a young male who had been stabbed and received a chest drain for a resultant pneumothorax and this meant that today was mainly comprised of removing chest drains, assisting only today. The there were some smelly moments but very few boring ones and I felt most importantly useful.







For lunch we again ducked across the pedestrian bridge to the taxi complex and today had steak on a kind of white polenta. Because six of us went to eat at the same time we caused the place to run out of food and while we ate the bemused owner had to turn away other potential customers. The large plate of food cost $3. After lunch we headed home.







Thisafternoon we drove up into Newtown and pretty much had a look around and got orientated. We will have to go back when it is not so late in the day.



Good evening,

Soap Seeker

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