Well we got a flavor of medical access and care in Tanzania. Thanks to donations we sponsored a medical outreach clinic in a very needy area that lacks access to health care and very poor so can not afford to get medical help. We paid for a doctor and nurse to come assist us with assessing and helping these people. One very sad case and one that tells a story about the poor people is a 60 year old women that was brought in by her son. It was obvious the women had a stroke with slurred speech and paralysis in her right side. The son said that she was chopping wood and then just fell down and did not move. They could not take her to the doctor because they had not money and had happened 9 months ago. They heard of our clinic so they brought the lady there. The doctor and I assessed her and she had a very high blood pressure and was obvious this women was in critcal condition. We gave her medication for the hypertension and offered to pay for her to be taken to the nearest hospital for care. The family was informed that we would help and hopefully would prevent another stroke and get her some long term physical therapy for her paralysis. The lady then bowed her head and looked up at the doctor and told him something in swahili. The doctor turned to me and said this lady has just prayed for you and will continue to pray for your for you kind and giving heart.
Meanwhile in the next room Lee was very busy counting the pill and putting them into bag labeling them with the medication and dosages. Then we say alot…alot..of children with fungal infections. We cleansed those areas, and the antifungal creams that were donated we very useful in treating these infections. We saw a 10 year old that had open wounds all over his head and down to his upper back. These were antifungal sores that he had for so long that they had become infected. We utilized the santizer that we brought and scrubed the opened wounds full of pus and infection. Lee and I were almost in tears to see this condition and the pain that he must be in. I kept saying I was so sorry and this young child never flinched or cried once. The amount of pain that they can endure here is unbelievable. We then used the antifungal cream and topical antibiotic cream that were in the health kits we brought and they were sent home with instructions on how to care for the wounds.
After a long day and with the assistance of a doctor and nurse we saw 133 patients. God bless the many doner who made this possible. This touched many peoples lives.
Sending much love and thanks.
Gayle
