Pictorials from the Field.

Wow, what a day!  I was pretty sure I had hit the wall by 4pm, but caught my second wind around 8pm to finish off the paperwork for the day. Probably was a bit of heat stroke as it was really hot yesterday down and we were in the sun for much of the day. 

Sorry, I’ve been meaning to write each night, but by the time I write up the daily report and then emails between eMi and LWI head offices, there’s just nothing in the tank left for more writing.

It's been a busy (as usual) few days.  I really don't get how Ruth and Robert can do this on a day in day out basis, incredible.

Anyway, a picture's worth a thousand words so consider this my 10,000 word update (or as much as the internet connection will let me upload...).  

NOTE: Just want to mention after writing this that some of the descriptions are bit discomforting as it does reflect some of the sad realities of dealing with a disease like Cholera.

In one picture, this is the purpose for why Living Water International exists.  Yes, those would be used plastic containers floating in the somewhat blueish colour water. Yes, this would be a well that we visited.  Yes, the community does use this water.

Some other items pulled out one of the wells...

The crew lowering one of the guys into the well if there is a specific source of contamination that needs to be removed.  (ie. The floating bottles in the above picture.)

Definitely wouldn't fly back home, but here, the crew essentially ties a crowbar to the end of the rope to form something like a T-Bar (skiers and snowboarders can relate) and then they sit on it and get lowered down wells that are often 20m deep.  If I ever come back, I'll definitely bring a harness with me.  Whether the guys will choose to use it is another story....

LWI has rehabilitated the well, constructed pit latrines and a separate isolated Cholera disposal area at Newton Hospital.  The building in the picture houses the hospital's Cholera Treatment Unit (CTU) on the left, and the maternity ward on the right.  Yes, that would be the contagious and potentially deadly Cholera disease placed alongside the room for the newborns.

Even worse, there is an empty building 30 yards away within the hospital compound that now sits empty and just requires some basic renovations for a CTU clinic. The World Health Organization (WHO) had asked LWI to complete the well and other work, and they were to restore and set up the CTU in the new building.  However, it's now three months into the Cholera outbreak and no work has been done yet.

During yesterday's visit, we went to follow up with at the hospital and its Chief Health Officer, also the only doctor for the hospital, is sick himself and in bed with an IV in his arm.  Needless to say, they are understaffed and under resourced to be able to provide the basic treatment that the people need and deserve.

This is the isolated area where anything contaminated with Cholera is taken and disinfected.  In the first picture, there are containers labeled 'A' and 'B'.  'A' is a 0.05% chlorine solution for washing hands and is located outside all entrances around the hospital.  'B' is a 0.2% chlorine solution used to clean anything that may have Cholera (beds, floors, etc.) as well as to disinfect waste (generally human... excrement) placed in an oil drum before disposing in the specific waste pit.  At one hospital, the gate had not been locked overnight and someone had actually stolen the oil drum.  Of anything that you wouldn't want to steal... 

In the third picture, you can see to the left, the disposal pit for disinfected cholera waste.  And on the right, that area is actually for the cleaning of the deceased cholera patients prior to being returned to family for proper burial.  This is the morbid reality of treating a disease like Cholera.

 

Similar to Uganda, this is how medical centres here keep track of their patients and cases.  Sadly, there is a need for such a thing as a morbidity chart here.

In the end though, we’re making progress.  As they say here, “Small, small” (meaning: slowly).  Here’s a picture of an old set of latrines.

And what’s now in use at one of the hospitals.  In theory, and with a good amount of encouragement I’m sure, the hospital will dig new pits and move the whole structure (concrete only goes 1 foot down) over once the current ones fill up.  It's an effective and, I think, realistically sustainable solution for a critical problem.    

And finally, motorcycles are a ubiquitous machine in the developing world and Sierra Leone is no different.  They never fail to surprise and impress me with what they can do.  Exhibit A & B, captured right across the street from a well we were rehabilitating. 

Yes, that's definitely a couch.

As they say in Crio, the local language, “Goodbye!”  (It’s actually just the same.)

*Actually wrote this yesterday but kept getting an error when trying to save or post this entry.  Anyone know anything about getting through this?  Ended up getting it up on the upteenth time... not fun or fast on semi-decent-for-africa internet.