It’s an early rise for David. No water, so no shower. We use our pre-filled hot pot to boil water for AM care. David meets his fellow neurosurgeon Mersha in the hospital café that offers a simple roll, tea or coffee. This is the only place where any food is available for hospital people and only tea, coffee and a simple sweet roll is available for purchase, unless you can can get fed M-F in your own dept.David and Mersha head to the OR to prepare for surgery. Ready to go? It appears not. The autoclave machine (sterilizer) broke down, and without back up equipment, all surgery is cancelled for the day. I join David and the residents on their hospital rounds. They have about 25 patients to see, including some pediatric.
Although here are some small rooms with 4 beds, the majority are large wards with 8-12 beds and there are no curtains between patients for privacy. The beds are old, without side rails, and are not electrical. The Black Lion is a public hospital serving the poor and often illiterate. It is quiet here; there are no TV’s on the wall, and no one has a radio or a computer, not even any reading material at the bedside. Patients wait to get better, often waiting weeks to months for surgery, or if necessary surgical supplies are unavailable, they simply wait for the body to heal itself. At this time the hospital has no pedicle screws (used to stabilize spine fractures) and hospital management has no money to buy them. There is nothing to be done until some country or company donates supplies. These items are frequently available at the nearby private hospitals but if the patient does not have ready cash, there is nothing to be done. Those in need of radiation for tumor treatment are sent home and advised the wait will be at least a year or two before an appointment becomes available (by which time their tumor frequently grows back).
Patients are required to bring their own hospital supplies at admission, including necessary medications, IV bottles, catheters, linens and food. If they have an ID card that certifies them as “poor” (which, according to American standards, would cover 98%of this population!), the hospital will provide the items needed. However, since many cannot read or write, they do not know how to sign up for assistance.
Except for the open veranda areas, this large 400 bed hospital is quite dark. Perhaps one out of 3 hallway lights is functional day or night, and that is at low wattage. The hospital wards have windows for natural light. These open veranda areas have internet connection, but it is very spotty, and already the server has been down for the past 2 days. Several verandas have 2 or 3 long hard wooden benches, and we try to eke out a fanny spot among the medical students studying on their computers. There is no lighting here, so computer use is for reading not writing. The several electrical outlets on each veranda are always in use and not near the benches, so if a plug-in is needed, one just sits on the concrete floor. The medical library is a long and dark area, with no more than 15-20 computer hookups for Ethernet but not Wi-Fi. Again, there are only several electrical plugs in the entire library and they are never near the Ethernet outlets, so it is a constant game of finding a seat, getting connectivity and then trying to get some computer work done before you run out of juice. An inordinate amount of time is spent (honestly, HOURS!) just trying to get “set up” before you even start getting something done. The frustration is beyond comprehension and just sheer crazy-making. These are the only areas of connectivity on the hospital campus and there are no computers available for general use, you must own one.
Yesterday we walked toward town and saw a very large crowd of perhaps 1,000 people, gathered around an enormous building with “Immigration Office” written on it. The lines snaked from the left and the right for probably close to ½ mile each way and meeting in the middle at an office area. Everyone stood with some documents in hand as they slowly inched forward. I have since learned that the Saudi government, and probably other wealthy Arab countries are advertising heavily to encourage Ethiopians (and probably other African nationals) to come and work, offering free airfare and a multitude of benefits. Conditions are so poor here that Ethiopians are anxious to find a better life. I am told that often the conditions are sometimes even more intolerable there, where they may find themselves as “indentured servants”. David and I were in Saudi in 1990 and found the country to have a sub-minimal work ethic; that is, their main job was to find people to work for them, since working was something they had no interest in doing. Sounds like not much has changed.
On this same stroll I bought a very large and colorful plasticized folding map of Africa from a young street-seller for $1.50. I unfolded it longitudinally, showing the entire east half of the continent. “Where is Ethiopia?” I asked my 20-something salesman. “Open, open”, he said, trying to nudge the other half of the map open. I showed him again the eastern half and asked him to show me Addis. He never knew where either his city or his country was until I showed him...a most miniscule teaching moment…
The weather has been unusual. Though the rainy season does not start until end of April, we have had a light warm rain almost every evening but delightful sunshine and 70-75’’ during the day.
A dead end study cornerat the medical library for ethernet, only about 20 of these for the whole medical school and hospital. you must bring your own computer,
On our walk I noticed a sign for Tikur Ambessa Secondary School wit h students pouring out of its gates. I asked a young girl to take me to the headmaster’s office where I introduced myself to Mr. Abera. I have arranged to attend several classes tomorrow. It should be a very interesting experience-
PS/ I have been trying to attach pictures for over an hour but the connection is very, very slow. I will try again tomorrow. David and I are at the Ethiopian Hotel because the server at the hospital is down, therefore, no ethernet; and the wifi hook up box has been removed, presu
A side courtyard at our public hospital. |
9th grade class, they did not appear to take their education seriously, spending most of the classtime in constant,very noisy chatter, seat-changing and with little interest in the subject matter. |
A very good biology teacher who enjoyed his subject and seemed to have better control of his classroom. |
The hospital has 3 veranda areas with 2 benches each where wi-fi is available (sometimes). This area is filled 24/7 with students trying to get on-line. Often I have sat on the floor. |