Touring the Hospital...

Second day!!

We toured the hospital today and it was amazing to see all the different wards and facilities. there is soo much that can be done to improve the situation! The ICU has 10 beds with monitors...thats the only difference compared to the regular wards! And they let us in without making us change clothes or shoes! There is no running water in the hospital and the electricity is intermittent. The people are very hospitable and keep telling us all their problems and what they need...When I think of the situation here...its like looking through a kaleidoscope. There is not enough personnel, there is not enough money and they is a lack of infrastructure. And most people we talk to seem to see the problem from their point of view. The good thing about the situations is that a lot can be done to improve various aspects of the service. we will probably be visiting other private hospitals in the area this coming weekend...so that should shed some perspective.

Well...I better get going...will post pictures later...probably when I get home...Staying away from Boston has made me realise how much I love and miss the town :)

First day in Sierra Leone…

The food here is amazing. But if I eat like this everyday, I am sure I will put on a ton of weight!! Everything is fried!! Fried potatoes, fried plantains, fried meat, fried rice…
So…folks from the hospital came to pick us up from the airport and we got our first glimpse of the city. It is teeming with people, lots of tiny roads, very pretty women (!) and loads of hills! So...our apartment…it is very clean, there is no running water, we have electricity (but no fans), has mosquito nets and four locks!! We went to the super market in the evening and it is like a completely different world!! You can find most imported foods there. I bought a sim card but apparently it does not work because I did not hear back from the folks I texted :( I have to figure that out sometime tomorrow. There is hardly any internet around…but will try and find some once in a way… It is about 9pm and we are all sitting in the ‘common room’ and talking…because there is nothing else to do :) So, I figured I will start writing everyday and post these blabber when ever I can find time :)

I get to tour the hospital tomorrow…so excited! We met the doctor of internal medicine and had lunch with head of surgery…The doctors are so nice here :) Hopefully we can do something worthwhile here!!

[written on the 8th...posted on the 9th :)]