Shyira District Hospital Day 1

Today was so awesome! I feel like I say that every day but each day is so different and I am learning so much! We started the day off by attending a staff meeting early this morning. They introduced us and told the staff what we were going to be doing for the next three days. We then got to sit in on a briefing from each ward in the hospital from the weekend and the night shift. There were a few arguments which were really hard to follow but it was really cool to be there. I felt like a staff member at the hospital! After the meeting we got to tour the hospital with the clinical director. He took us through each ward and explained everything as we went through. The hospital is actually very new! It has inly been open for a little over a year. I was so impressed with how clean it was. I will get to the details later but overall this hospital was really amazing. We even got to see their waste management facilities which is very important for IPC. They have a great system including an incinerator and water treatment plant right near the hospital. The incinerator operator showed us all of the PPE he wore for his job as well at the pits where the ash goes. He also showed us a second pit where they put the placenta ( insert grossed out face!) it smelled SO BAD. I haven’t been grossed out on this trip very much but that got me! There are a ton of births at this hospital so placenta disposal is very important.
The NICU was amazingly clean. There was a handwashing station outside of the rooma s well as inside. They make you wash your hands at both. Which I was so happy about! They also had changes of shoes for the visitors and healthcare workers to wear when they went in. The lab was well equipped and very clean as well. They had different rooms for different tests and testing mediums. Their waste management system was great and labeled correctly. They had signs and posters up with directions and label keys everywhere. The pediatric unit was set up so that the malnourishment cases were in one room and all other cases were in another room. We saw some children in the malnourishment room and it was very very hard to see. there was this sweet little boy who looked like he was 3 years old but the nurse told us he was 8. It was crazy. But I am happy he was at the hospital to get treatment. We finished the day by about 3:30 and there isn’t much to do here so we were a little bored. A few of us took naps (the first ones we have really had here besides bus sleeping). After that we still had some time until dinner so Jenna and i decided to go back to labor and delivery! I could be there all day seeing the births and the cute newborn babies! The labor and delivery nurses were so nice and welcoming to us again. Jado and Claude were still there! They had worked the night shift last night and were still working at 6pm! They were so nice and answered all of our questions then suddenly Jenna and I looked over and saw a baby being delivered! It was so amazing! These mothers are so tough. It is common for the mother to give birth with no family in the room. It was just her and the nurse and doctor! It was a really cool experience. Jado talked to us about how his job brings him closer to God. He was telling us “How could you see a baby being born and not believe in God??”. It is very true. It is such a miracle. I will never forget seeing that! I loved every minute.



Jado and Claude

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