Washing children and clothes...

No big news for tday. Many refugees were washing either their children or their clothes. I checked the camp as usual from time to time and everything seems to be in order. - Mama Matata

Click on these two pictures to see them in larger size on our photoblog Kenya Photos

Unnecessary misunderstandings

ak. In March of this year, in order to release from customs the recently received container of school supplies donated by the Swiss organization Kids to Kids, the Rhein-Valley Hospital recruited the help of four local elementary schools. The headmaster of each was asked to write a letter to the Minister of Education with the promise that each of the four schools would receive a portion of the supplies from the container. A portion was also to be donated to the Tegla Loroupe Foundation and on Wednesday, the representative from the Tegla Loroupe Foundation collected their portion. The headmaster of the neighbouring secondary school misconstrued this pick up, thinking that the supplies were being given away and that the four schools who had written letters to the Minister of Education would not receive theirs.

As a result, upon arriving at the hospital this morning, Ruth Schaefer received a letter from the headmaster, which accused the Rhein-Valley Hospital of having used the schools’ names to release the container and then distributing the supplies to another recipient. The headmaster had also copied several high ranking government officials in the distribution of the letter. Since these matters are highly sensitive in Kenya, we immediately rushed to the offices of the Nakuru District Minister of Education to clear the hospital’s name. Luckily, the situation was resolved by day’s end, but the headmaster was highly reprimanded for his letter. Such correspondence can easily cost an NGO its license in Kenya due to corruption amongst many others. A close call, but the Rhein-Valley Hospital survives another day! Such is daily life for Mama Matata (Ruth Schaefer), translated: she who solves problems.

The truck for the Tegla Loroupe Foundation is loaded

Wandering through the garden

ak. It was a quieter thursday at the Rhein-Valley Hospital, so Ruth showed me the hospital's vegetable garden. Under the guidance of Dr. Wanjara, the garden has flourished and now yields a wide variety of vegetables including spinach, Irish potatoes, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, celery and cucumber. The food grown in the garden is used to feed the hospital's patients and IDPs. Wanjara also uses specific vegetables in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, diabetes and hypertension patients. The garden is currently undergoing an expansion which should be complete by December. When finished, it will contain over 20 types of vegetables.

Malaria and pneumonia cases

ak. It was a busy day today. Amongst several cases of malaria and pneumonia, two elderly patients presented with severe asthma attacks. When they arrived at the hospital, they could barely breathe. Both had walked for over an hour so they could receive care. In Kenya, people walk or ride their bicycle to receive care for conditions that would otherwise be considered severe in the Western world. Both patients were treated with steroids, hydrocortisone, antibiotics, and within one hour they were on their way home again, a smile on their face..

The "short rain" season has started

ak. The "short rain" season has started in Kenya, which signifies the start of spring. During this time, it rains nearly every day, but in short spurts. Earlier in the year is the "long rain" season when it can rain for days at a time without stopping. Today it rained more than usual for a typical "short rain" day, so we were unable to traverse the road leading to the hospital. Instead, we ran errands in Nakuru and made a quick stop at Lake Nakuru National Park. Unfortunately, safari tourism in the national parks has not recovered since last year's riots, which has a significant impact on Kenya's economy. On the other hand though, I'm sure the animals don't mind the diminshed traffic.

Observing the hospital life in Kasambara

With a staff of 20, which includes a mere five medical personnel (one doctor and four nurses), the Rhein-Valley Hospital is nothing short of a miracle for the people it services in the Kasambara area. Today, Dr. Wanjara gave me my first tour of the facilities. It has treated over 80,000 cases and has serviced over 8,200 new patients this year alone, not to mention the 500 internally displaced persons that inhabited the property for the past eight months. On an average day the staff will attend to 45 patients, many of which are malaria cases. With 12 beds for in-patients, one observation room, one small operating theatre and one small maternity room dedicated to child birth, one would think practicing medicine with such little resources is impossible. Apparently it is not.

I am from Ottawa, Canada and am happy to be here at the Rhein-Valley Hospital in Kasambara. A recent graduate of Health Sciences and an aspiring doctor, Ruth Schaefer has granted me the opportunity to observe the medical staff at the Rhein-Valley Hospital. I look forward to learning more about rural medicine and about the colourful Kenyan culture. I will also be maintaining this blog until December, through which I hope to share with you my experiences and observations. -Alex Keller

Touring Nakuru

ak. Today we did a brief tour through the highlands of Nakuru where the wealthy locals live in their villas and send their children to the many local private schools. However, in stark contrast, within this same area is the town's IDP (internally displaced persons) camp, which houses over 14,000 people. Here we stopped to take some pictures with the children. It was moving to see that children who have so little can still smile so brightly! Photo: Alex Keller