Lions and goats, the 'Emergency' room and men comfortable in pink!

One of they guys who lives on my compound came home the other nights saying that he had been to the zoo that day and the workers had told him that the lions, hyenas and cheetah get fed live goats between 8-9am each morning, he really wanted to see it! As vulgar and inhumane as this may seem, for some reason I thought that being in Africa meant I had to witness this event also, kind of a right of passage I think I told myself. So off we went bright an early (I actually had nightmares about it the night before so was almost going to pull out!) the next morning, paid out ticket and camera fee and went in to wait for the goats. The zoo was a rather depressing place, the lions were the skinniest most emaciated looking things I'd ever seen. The Chimpanzees were pretty clever though, they'd put their hands out of the cage and you could stroke them (I think they actually wanted food, but I liked to think they wanted to hold my hand). So after an hour of walking around looking at sad and sick looking animals, we asked one of the park attendants where these alleged goats were, and were informed that the 'Goat man' was late and that they'd be arriving “in the afternoon, or maybe by 11am” (which really meant he had no idea and it could be anytime that day!). So we admitted defeat for the day and swore we'd be back another time.

I went for my first tour around the local hospital the other day, and I use the term 'hospital' very loosely indeed. I guess it all depends of how you define a hospital, in the West we expect a certain degree of sterility in the environment and also an amount of concern, care and empathy from medical staff. But when I hear no one even washes their hands between patients alarm bells sound!

I was shown around the paediatric ward first (as this is where I'll likely be staying with kids I need to bring). On each side of the dark corridor were rooms that held 4-6 children. The beds had plastic mattresses with the stuffing coming out, dirty peeling linoleum floors, ripped mosquito nets and many drawn tired looking faces or parents and family members who had set up next to their child's bed to be primary caregiver for the duration of the stay. I've been told that nurses here by comparison are 'useless and only give medications', and as soon as a white person comes in with a child, they expect them to do all the caring. Of course I assume this reflects the standard of education nurses get here, but it gives me a clearer understanding of why people here think I'm a doctor. Anyone who can look at symptoms, make a diagnosis and then dispense the medication must be a doctor and the training we get in the West is so superior that I can now appreciate why they conclude this. As my tour continued I was shown the emergency room or 'injection' room as they call it. This consisted of 3 flat plinth beds and 3 2x2m curtained cubicles which I assume is where doctors were seeing their patients? There was no emergency resuscitation equipment, no defibrillators, not even an ECG in sight! I'm learning that nothing is ever urgent here, there is no such thing as an emergency!

Considering the process one has to go through to get seen in this place I'm less surprised at the laid back nature of treatment. First, once you drop the child at the injection room (lay them on a table!) you have to go to the reception area and get a form for the child, then you have to go to another area to have it stamped, then to the billing area to make sure funds will be changed to the right account, then if you need any labs or tests you have to go to different places to have those priced and billed.....I can see myself literally pulling out my hair the first time I have to go through this process!

On the subject of healthcare, I had a fantastic day out at Gyero orphanage last week giving injections to some of the kids who were due their polio, hepatitis and tetanus shots. Now before you think I have a problem, I do not take pleasure in inflicting pain on these wee ones, but I do love using my skills and the passion God has given me for medicine to help these gorgeous children. And beautiful they are. And stoic! No tears at all, some scared looking faces, but in comparison to the performances from some of the children in ED in NZ when I attempted to convince them to swallow liquid Panadol, these are brave little souls! Went through all the files of the children in the orphanage with each of the uncles and aunties to see which children were still there and who had either been reconciled with family or who had moved on to Transition House. Was really encouraging seeing so many children who had been reunited with family or had made the shift on to TH, but made me realise how hard it must be saying goodbye after becoming attached (which I can foresee being an easy occurrence).

I finally went to pick up my garments that I had sewn from Nigerian fabric into a traditional Nigerian style skirt and top, and even though it's not a perfectly fitted piece, I will look the part at church this Sunday. My Nigerian outfit was sewn by a group of widows who SIM are working with to teach the skills necessary to set up their own businesses in tailoring. I will be getting involved in the weeks to come in teaching them literacy also. Using words to describe traditional Nigerian dress just does not do it justice, but think the brightest colours, most intricate patterns and matching skirts and tops (and also head scarves for women). Any of you men who would secretly LOVE to wear pink and purple everyday of the week if you could do so without causing alarm or feeling emasculated would feel right at home here in Nigeria. There seems to be no colour division for the genders, and men feel completely comfortable wearing paisley, floral and poka dots. Weddings here are a big deal. My best friend got married before I left for Africa and had about 180 at her wedding which is considered average to large in NZ context. Weddings in Nigeria would easily have 2000 people attending. The bride chooses a fabric colour theme for her wedding which then becomes the 'uniform' e.g. blue and gold. We have a friend in the SIM office getting married in May and she is getting us fabric to get uniforms made so we will all look the same! I can't wait to tell you more about it when I go.

Now I must apologise for the lack if photos, I promise to include some soon, but I really need to start taking them! It's hard here though because there is still a strong belief that if someone takes your photo, they're stealing part of your soul, so a lot of venders will not let you take pictures or they will for a price and want you to buy whatever they're selling! I've therefore been having to take pictures of street scenes from a distance and with the Harmattan dust still about the photos are hazy and just look terrible. Then I get so busy and absorbed in clinics and when at the orphanage that I forget. Anyway, enough excuses, my mission this week will be to digitally document as best I can. Promise.