Africa through hospitals

Working at hospitals is one of the best ways to learn about some of the country's and the continent's problems.You see everything about malnutrition, poverty, HIV/AIDS, self-abortions, refugees etc..Doctors and patients take the time to talk about Ghana's problems or what they see everyday.Poverty and HIV seem to be the biggest problems and seem to be at the root of a lot of other issues.All week I experienced women being disappointed when they were told they were pregnant.Very few people also know about their HIV status and when you ask them about it they look a little taken aback if not appalled by the question.But then I saw several HIV tests being done here (it is encouraged if the woman is pregnant) and one turned out to be positive.Then comes the huge problem of what to do with the baby since mother-to-child transmission is possible.At the malnutrition ward last week, 2 year-old Lucy was infected through mother-child transmission.

Hospitals have little money, especially rural clinics.Today, one of the nurses had to take stitches
out but didn't have enough light.Because she didn't have anything else, she simply took her cellphone out and asked the patient to hold it and simply used the phone's light.Somehow it was both funny and sad.They also safe everything they can.Not needles obviously but band aid etc.

Today I met I Liberian refugee who is now a midwife at the maternity clinic.She earns very little.Her husband was killed during the war so she and her children fled to Ghana.She told me she was making dinner when the soldiers attacked her family.They killed the husband and threw
boiling water on her 1 year old son.He survived but is obviously badly scarred.Now she has a job here but still the money is barely enough (50 Ghana Cedis, which pays for rent and some food, though hardly if you have children.Rent is usually 30 Cedis for a 2 room shack.Transport can be expensive for them and few people can afford a car).All the Liberian refugees here are trying to get to North America and Europe.One of the nurses actually presented me to her son and she really wants me to be his wife.

You also learn about beliefs and traditions, including witchcraft (which quite a few people still belief in. I've seen a couple of so-called witch catchers).Religion plays a HUGE role here.Every morning, when hospitals open, all patients and staff pray together.At least three times a week, there is a church service on the main square.People dance and sing until 10 pm.It is frowned upon not to go to church on Sundays.

This weekend I'm going to Cape Coast and Kankum National Park.It's always nice to get out.Work is fantastic but it's not always easy.I also can't believe I only have ten days left.The first week was slow because you get adjusted to everything but the last two weeks have gone by so fast.Now I do things on my own, have a morning run through the countryside, go to the market.It's a small community here so a lot of people now us obrunis.Now whenever I go for a walk or to the market people wave because they know me not just because I'm white.

Oh and the food here is very good.Heavy for good.You need a lot of energy to get through the very hot days.I don't know what cold is anymore.

Eventful few days

I'm back from Kumasi.Two volunteers and I spent the weekend in this old Ashanti city, which is now Ghana's second biggest city.It's more cultural than Accra as Ashanti people are very proud of their history and really try to preserve it.We visited the Ashanti king's palace (yes, they still have a king) as well the Kumasi market, one of the biggest markets in West Africa.It's very busy and everything is sold here.We also visited the Ghana Cultural Center where everything from drums, statues and paintings can be bought.

The ride to Kumasi was beautiful even though buses are uncomfortable, crowded and hot.Imagine lush green landscapes.Although it rarelly rains here (we had the first rainfall in two weeks on Friday...and what a rainfall.Kids here take showers outside when it rains and have water fights because it's the only time they can play with water without wasting it).The countryside is amazing.

On our way back from Kumasi we had a small tro-tro accident but nothing major and nobody was hurt.Drivers are crazy but they know what they are doing.We jumped onto another tro-tro and five minutes latert it ran out of gas, meaning we had to find another one.Eventful drive back home indeed.

The night following the trip was a strange one.Around 3 am, our neighbours came banging on our door saying that everyone should get out because there had been an earthquake warning.Earthquake in Ghana.So imagine everyone at 3 am sitting outside for an hour.It was both scary, amusing and ridiculous.Especially since it turned to be a false alrm.Apparently someone in Ghana (I don't know where) prtetended there was going to be earthquake.He phoned a friend who phoned a friend who phoned a friend.Richard, our coordinator, actually heard it from someone living in Cape Coast, 200 km from Accra.Eventful night.Ghanaians call each other so much and have such a great sense of community that the whole coastline found itself on the street at 3 am waiting for an earthquake.The Haiti tragedy only made things worse.

On Monday, I started work at the Maternity Clinic....and was allowed to watch a mother give birth to a baby boy.It was absolutely amazing...and nothing like I had imagined.They have no drugs here so it looked VERY painfu.I was allowed to hold to child after.The first time he opens his eyes is absolutely beautiful.
There is a lot to do here.The Margo Maternity Clinic is a small rural hospital.Chickens and cats roam around and the clinic is made out of little shacks.A lot of people come everyuday so I help with the pulse taking, temperature, questionnaires, injections...They taught me so much.Bacxk home you would need a degree for this but here they just learn opn the ground.

It is interesting to watch a woman's reaction here when you tell them they are gonna have a child. Out of the 4 women I talked to only one was truly happy.It was her first child.But the others already had a few and the prospect of another one means the family will struggle to make ends meet.After seeing what happens at the maltrunition ward, I can understand that they worry.A young woman today ate herbs on purpose so she could lose the child.She was 7 months pregnant.Poverty leads to terrible acts.I've heard a lot of similar stories since I've been here.Ghana is still very poor.

I told you the last few dfays had been eventful...

On another subject, I tried to upload pictures onto the website and it takes FOREVER and the computer crashes.Internet is very slow here.