Last night in Arusha & Selian Hospital

We are back at the New Safari Hotel for our last night in Arusha. We have had no internet access the last few days. There is so much more to tell you about these last few days, but today I wanted to keep my promise and tell you about our return visit to Selian Hospital on Wednesday.

The people of our Kijenge Lutheran Parish accompanied us back to the hospital. We met with Dr. Kipuyo, who is the "Medical Secretary and Head of the Department" for the ELCT Arusha Region. He explained the lack of health care in Tanzania and how they are making things work the best they can.

He then deferred the discussion of needs to the Chief Nurse, Christina. She named a few things such as linens, bandaging, heaters, and medicines and then became stymied to name more. At that, I asked her to take us on a more detailed tour.

She and I walked side by side "talking nursing", again realizing the many similarities in our profession, even though we work on different continents. She has been an RN for 25 years, just 2 years longer than myself. We compared notes on the shortage and retention of nurses--- they too have issues with both.

We first visited the ICU. They can accommodate 8 patients-- 4 beds in 2 rooms with the Nurses' station between the two. As I discovered in the rest of the hospital, the beds were old, rusted and non-adjustable with, at best, 2 inch mattress pads. There is no cardiac monitor, no defibrillator and..... no oxygen!! They simply cannot get it. The only oxygen would have been produced by an oxygen concentrator (a device that takes room air and turns it into concentrated oxygen)....... had the concentrator been working. It was the only source of oxygen in the facility less the two tanks sitting inthe operating theatre.

It quickly became clear to me that the reason the list had been so short while sitting in that office was because they clearly don't have any idea what they don't have.

So, we walked from ward to ward, seeing the discrepancies in our standards such as the 1 unit of non-functioning bilirubin lights that haven't worked for a long time, but for which they simply can't get parts.

We ended up in the area closest to my heart--- the Emergency Room. They call it the "Casualty Area", and it consisted on one small room with two beds (same rusted, white metals as the wards). There were a few bandages, one outdated IV pole, and a baby scale that was similar to the one we weigh our veggies on in the local Jewel. Again, no defibrillator, no cardiac monitoring, no oxygen, or any of the other things we know as essentials in our health care system. Again, they had no idea what they don't have.

Now, these are NOT stupid health care workers. These are hard-working, intelligent people who are just (as noted in a previous blog entry) persevering, doing the best they can with what VERY little they have.

I was truly humbled in their presence.....as I have been during much of our journey here these last 12 days. This has been a life-changing experience that I will be striving to keep alive.

I am anxious to share more with you when we return.

We board the plane @ 4;45 pm tomorrow (Sunday) (8:45 am Illinois time) after meeting one last time with Bishop Laiser. We will be arriving at 11;15am on Monday (a 26 hour flight). Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers that we return home safely.

Amani,

Cindy