looking to turn the tide..

June has provided enough rainfall to allow us to get the boat through a tiny creek to a small community we have been trying to reach for some time. With rainfall and a high tide we managed to make the journey to a remote community with no access to health care or immunisation.  

The childhood mortality is high and confirmation from the local government officials that the vaccination schedule had not reached this area has made us think how we can make some regular visitation possible.

Certainly our pastor's able punting skills prove useful when it's too shallow to use the engine.

Sadly it's often the case that after both time and money spent getting to these small communities, the medical camp itself is often without serious illness. Certainly de-worming, treatment of skin and respiratory conditions, malaria and gastroenteritis is valuable, but few have life-threatening presentations, and there's a feeling that attendance is more opportunistic than timely. It seemed we were treating the healthy residue, hopeful that we could prophylactically prevent future illness.

The high mortality is because there is no care at the point of need, and without such, most children requiring help have died. The seriously ill adults infrequently attend these types of camps and concerted house visitation over days or weeks is necessary to overcome stigma and build trust. Even after four years at Enekorogha we find patients alone and suffering who don't feel able to reach out for help.

Knowing that only  a trained and resourced Health Care Worker in the community will effect real change the camp demonstrated that there was a willingness on the part of the community to explore this further. Over 70 patients were treated, 40 patients were fitted with glasses and the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached to all.

The community seems responsive and if partnership is possible (which one can never assume) then training up a local worker would be the logical next step...

from whence comes my help...

This man is fortunate to have survived a stabbing following a brutal assault.

Though deep, major vessels were spared and the injuries treatable at the clinic.

The gentleman below however suffered a vicious machete attack when robbers broke into his house. The macerated wound was infected and the underlying bones broken. He had travelled some distance for treatment unable to afford care at the hospital. 

Cleaned, the debridement of the wound complete the arm is dressed and follow up arranged, though the arm, and hand will be of little use due to the extent of the trauma, and having presented two weeks after the initial assault, the wound grossly infected and painful.

Humanly and medically speaking these types of patients cause despair,frustration and an inadequate response when complex specialised surgery is required but never an option.

As humans we reach our capacity very quickly in this region, and it is only then that we can lean on the strength that comes from Jesus Christ to love, manage and 'treat the untreatable'.

It is without exaggeration and from the witness of our eyes that we see patients recover who should have died (indeed in our frail faith and frank honesty we expected nothing less), and hope restored to patients who respond to the intimacy of care that comes with wound dressing day in and day out,as the love of Christ is made manifest to them, Praise His Name!

a tight squeeze....

Prior to the recent elections candidates have been randomly donating equipment and drilling boreholes in a blatant attempt to curry favour with the voters. One such project was started outside the clinic, half completed and then abandoned. The gantry (minus water tank) is to the right of the picture. The crucial borehole had been drilled, lined and lies full of water. With the dry season coming to an end, and the rain tanks empty the we approached the community council to see if we could use the borehole for the clinic.

With permission granted we have capped the pipe,and with pump and some piping have secured a constant feed to the clinic.

Laundry is a major problem and we hoped this would solve the water problem, not so, the water produced is thick with sediment and turbidity.

Anticipating a costly solution we consulted a major well/borehole contractor in the UK.

'Ladies tights Sir' was the quick reply to the conundrum posed. A simple solution, and one we plan to implement this month, with a sand and mosquito net mesh filter of our own device ...and of course some ladies tights.

The new sluice area awaiting roofing, and yes the bats are sorted (see below)