This is a difficult post to write. There are so many perspectives that our time at the hospital can be viewed from.
There were many trained workers (doctors, nurses, assistants) at the hospital, doing the best they could do, in the work situation they find themselves in. I was left wondering if they have any idea of what they are missing ... what a "modern hospital" could offer the people of Accra. Do they not know that a more sterile environment would mean more successes with their ill patients? Do they not have water, to wash the sheets? Or, do they not have enough sheets to change them between patients?
This is a very large hospital, with many buildings. We were in the "Children's Ward".
We entered the building to a room FULL of young moms and babies. Babies, babies, everywhere. I had to wonder if they have a specific day and time set aside that people bring their babies. Most of the children that morning were under 2 years old, with a few sporadic sick older children coming in, also.
After we had only been there a few minutes, a woman walked up to the nurse's desk and unwrapped a towel in her arms. In that towel, was the tiniest baby I had ever seen. (And, I've seen a LOT of babies over the years.) Seriously, this baby had to weigh less than 3 pounds. Lanae and I just stared for a minute ... deeply touched by the sadness of the situation. In "our world" this child would be in an incubator in P.I.C.U. ... here, he was wrapped in a dirty towel, in a dirty hospital room. Would he survive?
We quickly found out that this child was not a rare case ... over the course of the next 10-15 minutes, we watched 5 more mommies unwrap their tiny, tiny babies to get weighed by the nurses. Does anyone know what the Ghanaian weight measurement would be in, and how that would be equivalent to U.S. pounds? I chatted with one mother later, and she said her daughter was 1.98 . (Actually, I guess it could be pounds. They were soo... tiny.)
We wondered what causes so many premature births. Then we realized that they might not even be premature. Maybe they are so small from lack of prenatal nutrition for their mommies, or lack of nutrition after they were born. All of the mommies were nursing their babies. But, if the mommy isn't healthy, than she can't produce enough milk for her baby. How can we help these babies?
While we were deeply saddened by the situation of the tiniest babies, there were also lighter moments ... moments shared with a smile and laughter between the young Ghanaian women and the old, white "Obruni" mama. The women were all taking their turns getting their little ones weighed. They had to be ready to weigh them as soon as it was their turn. So, they had to strip their children naked and wrap them in towels or blankets until it was their turn (so that they wouldn't waste time taking off their diapers when it was time to get weighed). One woman carried her, probably about 1 1/2 year old, son up to the desk ... put him on the scale ... and he started "urinating" (Ghanaians always use the proper word). She quickly grabbed him off the scale (so that the nurses and their piles of paperwork wouldn't get wet) and just stood there in the middle of the room, holding him at arms' length, with him peeing and peeing all over the floor. All the mommies in the room smiled and laughed, each knowing that it could have been their child. The next few women just straddled the puddle while getting their children weighed. Then the head nurse came around the desk and squirted a bit of detergent on the puddle. Awhile later, a young man came with a mop.
Observations from the waiting room ...
There is no air conditioning ... but I found myself realizing that the patients must be thankful that there is at least electricity.
The doors and windows are open, to circulate the air ... but I was saddened by the fact that this allows more flies and mosquitoes to enter, bringing with them more disease.
There were large fans, cooling the air ... but I had to wonder if they also move the germs around, causing yet more illness.
There are no answers for these problems. As I said, they are doing the very best they can, within their circumstances.
There was a young girl (maybe age 8-10) brought in ... carried limply in the arms of her father. She couldn't even stand to be weighed. Her father had to get on the scale with her in his arms, then hand her to someone else to hold, while he was weighed by himself (in order to subtract the difference). We had to wonder ... where is the Emergency Room? Where are the beds to lay her on? No one was in a panic. They didn't seem to see the "emergency" of it. But, maybe this is what they see everyday? Maybe they already know that she won't survive? Maybe there aren't any beds available in the Sick Room? (We didn't see her later, in the Sick Room. Was she sent home to die? We had to wonder ...)
Observations from the Exam Room ...
Two large, old wooden desks in the middle of the room ... for patients and doctors. I realized that with the way the chairs are set up, they could have 1 doctor on each side of the desk, talking to their own patient in chairs placed next to the desk. Doctors sharing a small desk? Unheard of in "our world" ... yet, I am sure that they are thankful to have a desk.
A couple of curtains hanging from a frame made of metal bars, to shield the one bed in the room. Lanae and I cringed as Comfort lay down on the dirty, wrinkled sheet that was hanging 1/2 way off the bed. Please Lord, don't let this hospital trip bring illness to Comfort. (We were soo... thankful for all of the shots that we have had for our travels.)
Later, the 2nd intern (?) examined Comfort right at the desk in the middle of the room. She just pulled her dress up to listen to her heart. Maybe she realized that it was better to be a bit immodest, than to lay on the dirty bed.
Observations from the Sick Room ...
(which we had to walk through to get to the Lab Room)
This was the most heart-breaking room of all. It was a very crowded room, filled with beds and family members standing next to their sick children.
We wanted to hold our breaths ... not knowing how many diseases were represented here. Instead ... we prayed.
There was a child with oxygen tubes ... and babies with I.V.'s
We had to wonder if any of these children would make it home.
Observations from the Lab
The doctor decided that he wanted some lab work done on Comfort. Comfort didn't like that idea. She kicked the lab tech. and cried LOUDLY (for which she was reprimanded by the lab tech.) Lanae just thought, "She's a spunky one."
The room was crowded, so our driver and I were asked to return to the waiting room. I had followed, on purpose, because I wanted to see all that I could see. So, I was glad that I got a peek, but glad also to be able to leave the Sick Room area.
Lanae made sure that they used a clean needle for Comfort. Yet she was surprised when the lab tech. didn't even wear gloves for the blood draw. Aren't they concerned about AIDS? Don't they know that a pair of gloves could save their lives? Can't they afford gloves? Should I buy them a case if gloves? Would they wear them if I did?
It was sad to see the conditions of this hospital, compare to what we are spoiled by in the U.S. However, I often realized throughout the day, that there are many Ghanaians who cannot even afford, nor travel to a hospital. So, the people we saw were actually the more privileged of the people in Ghana.
I don't have pity for the people here. I have great respect for them. They are a beautiful people, in a beautiful country. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to come again ... and to see yet another side of the living conditions here in Africa.
At the same time, I am always left wondering ... How can I help? What can I do? Where would my limited money be most useful? Most appreciated? My heart is to give ... to help ... to teach ... to assist ...
My last paragraph says that I have "limited money". I'm embarrassed that I even wrote that. I am so very wealthy compared to the people here. Should I live on granola bars for a week (and my free hotel breakfast), and give what's in my wallet to the people I meet? Seriously, I am praying for guidance. I want to step out in faith. I want to go where God leads. I want to give in a sacrificial way.
Please pray with me ... that the Lord would guide my giving this week, and that the Lord would guide my spending. And ... if you want to give me a little that I can give to others ... just let me know. I am so thankful that the Lord brought me here to help Lanae and Comfort ... but I want to do more. Would you like to join me? Would you like to chip in $10 to help those that the Lord leads me to here in Ghana? About 150 people read my blog every day ... can you imagine what the Lord could do with $1500? (Just $10 per person.) Let me know your thoughts ...
