The Hospital Visit

Monday, August 13th. Today I had the opportunity to tour one VERY poor section of the city, the country's major public hospital: Queen E II. Whew…

This was one place I’d wanted to visit after hearing a short speech on YouTube by Stephen Lewis, the past UN Envoy for AIDS in Africa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYI2__TYtzA

It was not quite like Stephen Lewis described the hospital he visited (perhaps it was a different one), with two patients to a bed—unless he was referring to the babies’ ward. Nor did I see any patients UNDER a bed; however, there were people everywhere; in fact, it was difficult at times to determine who was a patient and who was a visitor.

But first: upon entering the hospital grounds, my senses were confronted by the mounds of garbage piled around the big chimneys that looked to be a very ineffective incinerator system. Any diseases present would have ample opportunity to fester in this environment. As we entered the hospital buildings, the first ward was the TB ward. Isolation? Hardly—unless an open door classifies as isolation. The only indication that this was a highly contagious area was the face masks—inadequate by 'developed world' standards—worn by the nursing staff. Down at the end of the hallway and just around the corner was the Pediatric unit. There were about ten ancient wrought iron cribs, hosting one or two babies each, in an area approximately 12’ x 12’. Mothers were huddled beside most of these children so there was just room for us to walk through.

The emergency ward was equally crowded with people sitting on any available chair and space on the floor (other than a relatively narrow pathway). People waited, some rocking and groaning while others attempted to provide comfort. One older woman who looked to be in the last stages of life was in a rickety trolley pushed by two ward aides. Most others had looks of resignation on their faces. Compared to any Western standards, conditions were appalling and impossible to capture in words. You’d have had to breathe it…see it.

Some words that DO paint rather bold pictures, though, came from my nurse-friend who led us on the whirlwind tour:

“If I worked in maternity here, there’s no doubt I’d have HIV in a matter of months.”

“The morgue is over there. The bodies are just piled up…”

“When I came to claim (a baby)____’s body, there was a pile of babies’ bodies I had to go through to find his. It was horrible.”

Her reflections on the emergency ward are equally poignant as she recounted the time she had to walk over a dead body to get through this area.

“There is never enough oxygen. They don’t order enough. On weekends more babies die because they run out of oxygen.”

Then I think back on my friend's story of the most recent death she had to deal with and this connection to QEII …. The beautiful little one who died last week was found on the side of the road. Unfortunately she was just too weak and struggling, and died in my friend's arms. She had taken the baby home with her to die rather than leaving her to languish at QEII. In fact the doctor on duty that examined the babe sent the little one home saying she was fine while she was, in fact, in kidney failure.

Yes, failures. They happen in many ways, and QEII is such an obvious indication of a government that for whatever reason (and the reasons are likely varied and very complex) is failing to deal with the overwhelming health problems in its country.

Not too far from QEII is the new Ministry of Health complex that is being constructed. In sharp contrast to QEII, it is huge and looks very modern. It will be MOST interesting to tour that building when it is complete just to see how much of a contrast it will be. I wish I could have taken pictures, but even just to get in the hospital without being asked to leave was somewhat surprising and I felt fortunate to have my curiosity at least partially satisfied.

Wendy