WEd afternoon with Doris

WEd afternoon late lunch with Doris ( Madame of the clinic or co-administrator) and her son. We left the clinic around 1pm and got to lunch at 3pm ( bad roads and lots of traffic- everyone expects it). Lunch buffet at Holiday Inn near airport. Doris's son is so tall and handsome with lovely wife and 2 beautiful children. All of her children went college and work in services.

When we left, we brought her niece with us who is a housekeeping manager at the Inn. We visited wiht Doris's daughter who left teaching to start her own business teaching young girls to decorate cakes and create floral arrangements because she "likes to play with sugar". She decorated a cake for us! FInally got back to the house around 6pm.. Had a beer on the porch and went to bed

MOnday- Wednesday 10/3-5

Now we were rolling. The clinic is getting to know us and we have meet so many people so it is easier for us to interact in different roles. we have already made arrangements to help with the community health nurses to visit TB patients and perform antenatal visits with community health aides. In between community health work, the hospital was busy with 9 patients, PID, emergency C-section, acute malaria infection (the most common medical issue), GI problems. TB and HIV seems to be in a controlled state with lots of government support via educating health aides, billboards and TV ads. Very supportive of family planning - paid training for nurses and public advertising of the benefits to the families but also their community.

First Weekend Sunday

LEft early to visit Kakum National Park and walk the Canopy. Lots of tourists, Dutch, British from Nigeria, Americans and other Ghanians. Apparently Ghana provides more freedom for expats to roam around within a city and even a hotel...no sign of soldiers with AK47s like Nigeria.

We then headed south to Cape Castle and the largest former slave fort. The tour (our guide had beautiful facial bone structure) and where humans were held for months was nauseating.. what was also overwhelming was the crush of people just outside of the fort.  We did find one pushy Rasta guy... but that was the only pushy person.

First weekend Saturday

We decided to check into a hotel each weekend to get a hot shower and see more of the country.
 We drove west from Nungua ( our neighborhood) to Coconut Grove Resort in Elmina. It is notable for Elimina slave fort and major fishing industry.
Driving through town was... well i have seen poverty but this was...how to describe, very crowded near the harbor where the boats were unloading their fish, people were packed next to one another to get the fish and load into wheelbarrows, everyone was very muddy and they lived in small homes the size of our closets. the small downtown was crowded with people but it still seemed very focused.

The resort that we stayed was known for hosting conferences, West African ministers and other NGO volunteers. Unfortunately, there had been a big storm and there were big rollers so i avoided going into the ocean.

Day 2

delivered the medical supplies to the clinic. The clinic/hospital provides multiple services. Primarily general medicine but today there were many pregnant women since Tuesday and Thursday are maternal classes. THis is a private hospital, considered very good. FUnding is provided via government insurance and private insurance by large businesses, like Barclays Bank.

Doris Anash was our contact, very committed to the young women coming for prenatal classes.  After Doris left to send off her sister back to Claremont, Californai, we spent time in the hospital side. THey have 2 private rooms and then 2 large rooms with 6 beds each. We observed how they conduct in patient services...very small and lots of sitting, we definitely did not need our sneakers.  Patients families bring food and buy the meds so definitely cuts down on the running around.

We are still figuring out how we can be of service since the approach and what is expected of nurses is different. Tomorrow we meet the First Lady of Ghana.

We did visit with the school and meet some of the neighborhood children whom Sebastian (17 y/o volunteer with us). The kids were so sweet, shy, curious, smart anf fun. I wanted to take them home

Day 4 and Day 5

After meeting with the First Lady of Ghana, we got focused on learning and working in the clinic.
We were very conscious of being visitors, respectful of how the clinic took care of their patients and identifying ways that we could help within their current clinic environment. We usually worked between 8am-2pm and got back to the house by 3pm. Even though we were a relatively short distance from the clinic, because the roads were in poor shape with many cars, it took awhile to commute.

I spent time in the outpatient clinic doing intake to prepare the patients to see the physician, participated with the prenatal classes, helped with the antenatal mom and baby visits, visited TB patients with the community health nurses and finally helped with a new baby delivery.

On Week 1, Friday afternoon, we traveled downtown to meet with General Mustapha at the Army Officer's Mess. Spoke about retirement, problems wiht Ghana and how to help. He offered to introduce us to the Administrator of the Dansomon Polyclinic. We were able to meet with him and tour the government clinic. It was quite a difference from our private clinic. The building was too small, very old, open air and very, very crowded. THe clinicians were all so warm and friendly - I wished we had time to help there.