23/01: Clinic In Pambal
The flat tire thing seems to be a theme for us. While traveling north on the road toward Thies, our left front tire (the one we got yesterday) blew out. Luckily, we had a spare on top of the bus and were on our way again in no time. If you have not already guessed, new tires are not prevalent in Senegal. Most available tires are ones whose previous punctures and leaks have been repaired. Stands selling tires are common along Senegal’s roadsides.
We picked up Dr. Bashir and members of his team, filling the bus to capacity again today with 14 of us on the way to the village of Pambal. During the three hour ride, I sat in the back seat with two of my new Senegalese friends from Dr. Bashir’s wellness team and sorted and prepped my materials for today. I was in a good position in the fifth row next to the window to take in the scenery and I also got some excellent pictures. We rode further into the Senegalese countryside than we had yesterday. Beyond Thies (“Tiez”), we passed forests of ronier (“ron-yey”) palms and roadside sellers of beautiful baskets as we went through Lalane (“Lah-lan”).
There is tremendous mutual respect between the leadership in the villages and our mission team. Both Kayar and Pambal have a traditional (ancestral) leader such as the chief, a political leader like the village mayor, and a spiritual leader or marabout (“mare-a-boo”). The ceremonial meetings that are held before the clinics begin convey gratitude, cooperation, and a hope for continued partnership with our group. Where the care of people is involved, prior barriers and divisions seem to melt away. This is a beautiful thing to witness.
We expected that Pambal would be a village similar to Kayar (also spelled Cayar by the people in the village). However, this time we had called ahead and asked the leaders to limit the number of patients to 80. Although many than 80 people were waiting to be seen, the village leaders understood that we had to set a limit or we would be there all night. The officials of the village created a list that gave priority to the most critically ill and also allowed for the people of high status (i.e., elders) in the village to have the opportunity to be seen.
Our clinic system consists of an intake station where each patient checks in and is given a card, a sort of medical record. Then weight, height, BMI, blood pressure, pulse and temperature measurements are taken. When indicated, the patient’s hemoglobin and glucose levels are also measured. Then the patient will consult with the doctor. As you can imagine, the time with the doctor is the longest portion of this treatment process. The doctor interviews the patient, makes an assessment and diagnosis, and then prescribes any necessary medication. The patient then proceeds to our clinic’s pharmacy where medications are distributed.
The number of patients that Carol has seen in just these two days would be mind-boggling for any doctor. We have a busy schedule for the rest of this week and next, and I wonder how she will hold up. One of our group’s unspoken goals is to see that each member gets the needed support from the other members. In an exhausting effort like this, it is essential for all of us to get adequate nourishment, rest and relaxation. - NF
We picked up Dr. Bashir and members of his team, filling the bus to capacity again today with 14 of us on the way to the village of Pambal. During the three hour ride, I sat in the back seat with two of my new Senegalese friends from Dr. Bashir’s wellness team and sorted and prepped my materials for today. I was in a good position in the fifth row next to the window to take in the scenery and I also got some excellent pictures. We rode further into the Senegalese countryside than we had yesterday. Beyond Thies (“Tiez”), we passed forests of ronier (“ron-yey”) palms and roadside sellers of beautiful baskets as we went through Lalane (“Lah-lan”).
There is tremendous mutual respect between the leadership in the villages and our mission team. Both Kayar and Pambal have a traditional (ancestral) leader such as the chief, a political leader like the village mayor, and a spiritual leader or marabout (“mare-a-boo”). The ceremonial meetings that are held before the clinics begin convey gratitude, cooperation, and a hope for continued partnership with our group. Where the care of people is involved, prior barriers and divisions seem to melt away. This is a beautiful thing to witness.
We expected that Pambal would be a village similar to Kayar (also spelled Cayar by the people in the village). However, this time we had called ahead and asked the leaders to limit the number of patients to 80. Although many than 80 people were waiting to be seen, the village leaders understood that we had to set a limit or we would be there all night. The officials of the village created a list that gave priority to the most critically ill and also allowed for the people of high status (i.e., elders) in the village to have the opportunity to be seen.
Our clinic system consists of an intake station where each patient checks in and is given a card, a sort of medical record. Then weight, height, BMI, blood pressure, pulse and temperature measurements are taken. When indicated, the patient’s hemoglobin and glucose levels are also measured. Then the patient will consult with the doctor. As you can imagine, the time with the doctor is the longest portion of this treatment process. The doctor interviews the patient, makes an assessment and diagnosis, and then prescribes any necessary medication. The patient then proceeds to our clinic’s pharmacy where medications are distributed.
The number of patients that Carol has seen in just these two days would be mind-boggling for any doctor. We have a busy schedule for the rest of this week and next, and I wonder how she will hold up. One of our group’s unspoken goals is to see that each member gets the needed support from the other members. In an exhausting effort like this, it is essential for all of us to get adequate nourishment, rest and relaxation. - NF
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