Imagine this...

Imagine a hospital where the electricity was not dependable. You may expect that hospitals always have power, but not here. Power is an occasional perk. So how does a hospital operate without power? Well, there are no computers to chart treatment on, there are no IV pumps to regulate IV medications, there are no TV’s to entertain the patients, there are luxury hospital beds that adjust at the touch of a button, and there are no alarms to sound to call for your nurse. In fact the most common use for the unpredictable power source is lighting or charging for phones. There isn’t much else in this hospital that uses power on a regular basis. Can you imagine such a place?

Imagine a hospital where there is only one wing out of the several wards in the hospital that offers semi-private rooms. These semi-private rooms are only for those who can afford to pay for their care. Can you imagine privacy being a luxury not a right? The rest of the patients stay in the wards. The wards are divided into a female side and a male side that are separated by a hallway where the nurses’ station or “duty room”, staff toilets, doctors’ room, and an exam room are located. There are 36 beds on each side, and there are several times throughout the week where patients are lying on mats on the floor waiting for a bed. The ward is wide open with little half walls dividing it into sixths. So if you become sick while you are in this place, and you are going to be a patient at this hospital there are a few things you should know. Make sure to bring your attendant (family member) with you to care for you. Also, make sure they bring a mat to sleep on, sheets for you, and money to provide for all your needs. Prepare to lose your dignity, as people are always around, and the privacy screens (for changing clothes or relieving yourself) are few and in high demand.

Imagine a hospital that has very few drugs and supplies. The medicine cart consists of a metal tray on wheels with about 5 or 10 different injectable medications, 8 tins of tablets that may or may not be full, a handful of giving sets, and a few pairs of gloves. If you, the patient, need anything that is not on the cart you must send your attendant to town to buy what you need. You have to buy everything from IV canulas, IV medications, syringes, needles, or anything else you can think of that you might need. Oh, and yes don’t worry these things are available in the local drug stores for anyone to buy. No license needed. No ID needed. No prescription needed.

Can you imagine a hospital like this?! I don’t know if I could have before I came here, but today I get an inside look at this very hospital. An inside look for two months. Oh the adventures we’ll have. Two weeks down. Six weeks to go.

1 comments:

Heather L. 6:25 PM  

Jenny...you can imagine how grateful I am that we are sitting in Riley right now in the USA. I know Laura is so privileged to be here when so much of the world has only what you described.

About Me

My name is Jenny. I am a sinner that has been redeemed by the blood of Christ, and I want to share the grace and love He has shown me with others. I am a nurse living and working in Uganda, and I am praying that God would make Matthew 5:16 true of my life.
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
Enjoy snippets from my journey as I step out in faith day after day.