First days at the Children's Hospital

(Lucky you, two posts today)

I had my first two days of work at the Children's Hospital.I asked to stay at the malnutrition wards for a few days.It's sad place but doctors do their best with what they have.
Currently, there are about 6 children but some come and go.Most of children are under 2 years old, although it's very hard to see as they are very small and often extremely skinny.

Two of them are in a particularly bad shape.One 17 months little Liberian girl (refugee), Rita, arrived on Sunday. She was so weak that she couldn't walk, hold her head up or even eat.So she had to be fed through the nose.As a refugee, the mother has very little means.Today she was already doing a little better.I'm allowed to the rounds with the head doctor and the nurses so I get to see everything that goes on.

Another little boy, Samuel, has a very sad story.He has two other siblings, a 4 months old brother and a 4 year old brother.He is 13 months old and his mother simply won't care for him.The doctors are at loss as to why she does not like him but the 4 months old brother is the same size and weighs for that Samuel.He is a little like a vegetable and does not really react to anything.He is often alone so when I'm doing anything I stay by him.The hospital is trying to keep Samuel as long as they can because they know that if they send him home, he will probably be back quickly.

The other children are malnourished as a result of poverty and lack of education/knowledge.One of the mothers in 18 years old and does not know how to deal with a child while still in school.The pharmacist today told me that malnutrition is becoming more of a problem, especially in Accra.While Ghana is developing, on a local and family level many people still own very little and cannot feed their child.Uneducated people have 4-5 kids (educated people have 2) but not the means to feed them.

There are 3 HIV cases for the moment out of 20 children in total.They often come to the malnutrition ward but obviously need special care.While most malnutrition cases are send to rehabilitation center after five days or so, there is not much one can do for kids with HIV as their nutrition and weight will always be a problem.

The children are fed every 4 hours and are on a special diet, which consists of 4 different types of milk, paste and vitamins: M75, M 100, R. Then they also get .food, depending on their state. They also get drugs and injection once day, are weighted at 6 am and 8 pm, and temperature is taken 4 times a day.A nutritionist is always on the ground to give advice to the parents.What the hospital lack is a professional psychologist for the parents.The head doctor is very aware of this.As he told me today someone's like Samuel's mother really needs a psychologist.They were trying to convince to take care of her child, but she just looked away.But the hospital does not have to means to get a professional counselor.Yesterday, I met a psychology student from the University of Ghana who is doing research on how relatives/caretaker react when their child is sick.Apparently, no one has ever done this in Ghana before.Research like this is difficult because relatives do not easily talk about their feelings and problems.Moreover, funding is rare.

Nurses and doctors are extremely nice and generous.They answer all my questions, let me observe everything they do and come to me tell me about the challenges they meet.They are happy to have visitors.

To resume, it has been a great couple of days.I already learned a lot.