Sunday, July 15, 2012

Monday Morning

This post is being done from Namwianga by KB who traveled back Sunday evening with a group of patients being brought to Namwianga Zonal Health Centre for cataract surgery.

The team set a record for patients seen in a single day by Zambia Medical Mission yesterday even though several of the team members had stomach issues and were unable to work.  At the end of the day, those suffering from the stomach bug were better and the team had seen 3925 patients in a single day which puts the total thus far at over 14.600.

The trip to Kasukwe was difficult, and lasted just under five hours on rut-roads and sand.  The area is remote, but one cell provider has limited service if you find exactly the right place to stand.  Even then it is most often just text messages and no voice service.  Many of us use AirTel and we got an occasional signal but it never lasted long.  As a result we use satellite phones when we really need to reach someone.

Dr. Monze, a Zambian eye surgeon has been doing cataract surgeries here at Namwianga, and the patients are screened and brought in on the back of trucks to the clinic.  Traveling on the back of a large lorry seems like a poor way to travel, but in many ways it is the most convenient and practical way to haul people in these difficult conditions.

A few new photos have been posted at facebook.com/zambiamission

We will post more as we have it.

Post will get fewer as the days go on and will potentially stop abrubtly after Tuesday.