The Miracle of Birth

ak. A beautiful baby boy was born today at the RVH. While the rest of the hospital lazily sauntered through a quiet Saturday, inside the small maternity ward, a young mother was in painful labour for over three hours. When the baby finally released itself from the womb, it had inhaled placental fluids into its lungs and was unable to breath. The medical staff had to act quickly and resuscitate the boy who had already fallen into unconsciousness. Within 15 minutes though, the fluids had been expelled, airways cleared, and the boy was already proving he would be the next member of the Lake Nakuru Gospel Choir. Another successful day at the Rhein-Valley Hospital.

Moving Home

ak. Today we received another stark reminder that the struggle of Kenya's internally displaced people is ongoing. This photo portrays a typical sight of an "IDP family" moving home. As IDP camps gradually close and donor support drys up, people are forced to return to former homes where potential tribal hostilities remain. Although government officials have made attempts to completely close IDP camps, there remains tens of thousands of people who cannot return home, be it for lack of safety, lack of funds, or a combination of both. Bear in mind that many of these people experienced unspeakable horrors during last year's conflict, and returning home may also be undesirable due to the possible re-emergence of painful memories.

Neonatal Day

ak. Thursdays at the RVH are neonatal days. Mothers and new-borns clog the waiting room and spill onto the lawn outside. Each mother-infant duo waits patiently so that the baby can be weighed and measured to monitor for possible malnutrition. Babies are also given vaccinations if needed, for which the hospital follows a standard international protocol. In Kasambara, where computers are about as common as Polar Bears, following this protocol requires careful manual record-keeping, otherwise children could be over or under-inoculated. By day's end, over 50 mother-infant duos had been seen and most will be back again next Thursday...same place, same time.

Celebrating Mama Matata

ak. This morning, a group of over 30 women from Kasambara congregated at the hospital to express their thanks for the support they have received from the hospital and its director, Ruth Schäfer. Following recent misunderstandings with the local church and secondary school, the womens group wanted to ensure Ruth and the hospital's staff were aware of the community's appreciation for the hospital. As mentioned in previous blog entries, the Rhein-Valley Hospital services over 80,000 people from the Kasambara and Thugunui region, a rural area 45 minutes outside of Nakuru.

An Abundance of Vaccinations

ak. Today was a busy day for vaccinations. The hospital generally has specified vaccination days each month, but sometimes patients present even when it is not a vaccination day, as several did today! Most were between the ages of 5 and 12, with some older and some younger. The most common vaccinations are those that protect children against cholera and hepatitis, diseases that were common in the Kasambara-Thugunui area until the hospital began offering its services in 2004.

Two Burn Victims...

ak. It was a busy Monday at the Rhein-Valley Hospital. By 9:00am, the waiting room was already full and over 15 patients were waiting outside. Within one hour of each other, two completely independent pediatric burn victims arrived for emergency care. One had fallen into a fire and burned her knees. The other had tripped, while walking backwards, into a pot of boiling water. Nurse Kennedy worked diligently and efficiently, and within 45 minutes the boy was on his mother's back heading home...mind you, without a smile.

Quiet Day at Lake Bogoria

ak. Sundays are quiet in Kenya as most people go to church and don't work, so we made a quick day trip to Lake Bogoria National Reserve. Approximately 2.5 hours north of Nakuru is this non-fenced reserve, which is know for its famous geyzers. It is also host to a variety of wildlife, including flamingoes, ostriches, impalas, wart-hogs, hyenas and a herd of elephants that migrate over the park's surrounding mountains two or three times per year. En route, we also had several encounters with the indigenous Pokot and Tugen residents of the area, many of which still reside in traditional Kenyan huts. (Click on the picture to see it in large format)