A Hospital of Hope

Another day starts sunny and warm with a breakfast of eggs, sausage and toast to power our team to the St Joseph Shelter of Hope.  We gathered and loaded into the vans for another medical adventure. 

St Joseph Shelter of Hope is a Catholic hospital that is the most advanced care in Voi.  It is largely funded by water filtration as it filters water and sells that water to neighboring businesses and vendors.  It is a small facility in comparison to what we recognize as a clinic or hospital, but for this area, it is progressive.  The facility has a triage area, laboratory, individual exam rooms, inpatient wards, one for women and one for men, a birthing room and pediatric room.  These rooms each house 3 beds separated by curtains.  X-ray and ultrasound can be performed along with surgeries. 

We arrived at the hospital and, as usual, were warmly welcomed by a team of Medical Officers and Physicians from whom we learned of our missions for the day.  We were separated into groups and away we went!

The nursing teams were placed into a variety of areas that included triage, where they took blood pressures, temperatures and assisted with determining who was more urgent to see and who would need to wait.  Other nurses had the chance to meet with Clinical Officers, who saw HIV clients.  HIV is very prevalent in Africa and maintenance of the condition is important as is education on how to limit its continued spread.   Others were involved in care of pediatrics where they saw a two week old baby with pneumonia.  This infant was not doing well and our team was able to help the mother better understand ways to help with breathing.  In addition, others were able to be first hand observers in the Major Surgical Theater, where a hysterectomy was being performed. 

The therapists in the group, were taken over to the on-site nursing home, where they had the opportunity to help elderly nuns get on their feet!  The nuns seen were over 85, with the eldest being 91.  These women, though afraid and uncertain initially, were able to get up with the assistance of our PTs and walk with walkers down the hall.  As they realized what they could still do,  their faces brightened with excitement! 

Others in our team, spent time in the pharmacy (which was very orderly – unlike the makeshift ones we’ve had J) where they learned about medications that are prescribed in this area that are not seen in the US and through their conversations, we figured out ways to improve our systems.  Lastly, time was spent in the ultrasound/Xray department.  A young woman, who was 27 weeks along in her pregnancy found out the gender of her baby… a girl!  She was so excited to hear the news; a broad smile spread across her face. 

Now, we all sit visiting and enjoying a relaxing evening… soon, the playing cards will come out and laughing will fill the air…

~ Steve and Julia