DYSFUNCTIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
I'm tired and not quite sure where to begin! The government nurses began to strike on June 7th. As this article shows so starkly, there is a big difference in public and private health care in Kenya. The 8 month old son of a doctor died of malaria while the President's wife was opening a new heart laboratory here in Mombasa. I suppose such discrepancies are the status quo everywhere but it hit me like a brick that if a doctor can't save the life of his son it is impossible for those who live on the margins to get the health care they need.
I've just come back from a 5 day trip to 1 hospital and 4 dispensaries. This picture shows me teaching the staff at Chumvini Dispensary about Diabetes. The day started at 5:30am and ended at 7pm. We squeezed in this teaching session as they are overloaded with patients because of the nurses' strike. The woman in the white coat to my right is Monica, the clinical officer (physician assistant). She is a gem...so interested to learn and sharp as a tack. They normally do 5 deliveries a month but they've done 31 this June. In 1 day they had 5 deliveries!!!
Since we're talking about newborn babies, here's some good news. The percentage of children born with HIV has dropped from a high of 17% in 2014 to 6% in 2016. We have worked very hard to make this happen and our goal is to completely eliminate transmission of the virus from the mother to the newborn child by 2021.
I love avocados and I sprout the stones in every one I eat. Then I give the young seedlings to children and people whom I hope will keep them alive. This avocado seedling was given to the Sisters at St. Joseph Shelter of Hope in Voi. I was so excited to see it as tall as this young man at my visit this week. The hospital was full to overflowing and everyone was exhausted at the end of a day that kept going on and on. Before I left the following day, I checked on my seedling and it brought me great joy. It is one small contribution I, and we, can make to care for our home, planet earth, while providing nutritious food.
I will be traveling to the US on July 9th for a two month break. I am more than ready for it. To all my friends in Kenya, know that you will be in my prayer that the nurses go back to work soon. To all my friends in the US...here I come!
PEACE OF THE FLUTTERING LEAVES TO YOU
