14 January 2017

THE NEW ROAD TO TAVETA!!!

     As I mentioned in my 1st January blog I made a trip to Taveta this past week.  Here are pictures of the beautiful road which took only two hours rather than 5-6 hours.  In addition, the Health Commission was given a new vehicle by MIVA which is far more comfortable than my 1994 Rocky Dhaiastu!!!

     The trip went very well.  We visited one hospital and three dispensaries.

ROAD THROUGH THE TAITA HILLS

     The doctors' strike continues continuously since 5th December.  The government is telling people to go to mission health units but they have yet to give any of our facilities medicines or supplies.  The hospital at St. Joseph Shelter of Hope in Voi was full to overflowing with very sick patients and a young newly qualified doctor who is doing her best. At 8am I did a short teaching on Disaster Management as they have had multiple motor vehicle accidents from the nearby highway.  After that I saw patients from 8:45am until 7pm.  

     Three dispensaries were all busy as well with the clinical officer and three nurses all needing to work like doctors.  The dispensary in Chumvini normally delivers 8-10 women in

Coralis and I celebrating the New Year 2017

a month.  In December they delivered 39 and referred 5 women to a mission hospital across the border in Tanzania.  No mother died but one infant was lost due to mismanagement in the village and late arrival at the dispensary.  They worked every day during Christmas when the government nurses were taking holidays on the 25th, 26th and 27th.  I am truly impressed and inspired by the commitment and capacity of our staffs in these places.  Because of them, fewer poor people are dying as a result of this strike.  The doctors have a legitimate grievance with the agreement made in 2013 that has never been implemented regarding working conditions and salaries.  However, it would behoove the doctors to use methods of resistance that attend to the needs of seriously ill poor people who are now dying in their homes.  People can see that this strike will not end soon and both sides are losing credibility due to lack of compassion for the sick and integrity in negotiations.  Meanwhile, we in the mission health units will continue to do our best to fill in the gaps as best we can.