SCHIZOPHRENIC CHIKANKATA!

Today has highlighted the whole experience of Chikankata Mission Hospital and Health Services.

On one hand we get notification that we have been given final approval in our proposal and budget for a research study with Boston University. It is entitled Zambia Integrated Management of Malaria and Phenomia Study (ZIMMAPS) and will be conducted in our catchment area, bringing 20 jobs to Chikankata communities and some much needed additional income to the hospital over the next two years. It's an exciting study and will fall very much on the back of the recent award to study HIV/AIDS patients' adherence to treatment, which will be carried out in conjunction with Michigan State University.

On the other hand we get two creditors demanding payments for outstanding (large) bills dating back to 2001 and we are finalising Human Resources tasks which should have been completed two years ago. One of the overdue payments was an agreement made in 2001 for monthly installments for rental of some communication equipment. We didnae even make Payment 1!!!

Eventually after much fraught negotiation, we agreed on a settlement figures and completed the HR tasks. This was very hard work but I am trying to value the challenges.

My aim here is to have a mundane month - no thrills, no spills - just a normal steady month. Not many people aspire to that