Health Care Rationing

It's been a while. The reason I haven't posted for all two weeks is...(get the violins out again)....we couldn't afford to pay our internet bill this month.

Faced with paying salaries, buying drugs, medical supplies and a temporary cash flow cisis, it was hard for me to argue to pay the internet bill last week. So we only go reconnected yesterday. I don't know what happens in the UK or US now but one of the first questions we get asked when people visit is whether we have internet connection. It seems to be something people can't do without these days. It was funny to watch people here get edgy and I had to remind them that this time last year we had no phones, no mobiles and no internet. Funny how people forget!

Anyway a few highlights and lowlights from last week;

I visited Chikombola (one of our Health Clinics) with the Mission Director to meet with the Headmen to tell them to stop the piff paff poof witchcraft nonsense that has resulted in two staff leaving there. We have managed to recruit two new staff but they are straight from College and very vulnerable.

Won Man of the Match in the Independence Day Hospital vs High School football match. It was a thrilling 1-1 draw in which I hit the post with a 25 yard free kick, won a penalty, missed a penalty, hit the bar from outside the area and score a bullet header to open the scoring. I was not however appreciating everyone singing Peter Crouch Peter Crouch Peter Crouch to the tune of Here we go when I was substituted with 5 mins to go. I felt I was more of a Michael Ballack, Kevin Maher or Hugh Murray kind of play, surging forward from midfield.(The latter two may not be so well known - they play for Southend and St. Mirren respectfively)

I met with the Nursing Students to tell them off a two of them had been caught drinking and two had been caught cheating in an exam. I have since written to the Town Clerk and Licencing Board to complain about the noise and the way people are selling beer at the nearby Chipanga (I am turning into mu mother!)

The container from our good friends in Aberdeen has arrived. We are currently clearing it through customs (this could take a while).

Watched a great DVD sent by Garry of my friends Nick and Lisa leading the service at Chelmsford. We were very emotional watching it but we really appreciated seeing everyone, especially our godson, Joshua. (Nick, please wear the regulation neck tie when conducting formal SA ceremonies!)

The new Clinical Officer Anaethetist, a Salvationist from Malala but working in Western Province, has been formally posted here. He arrived on Saturday. This will be the final peice in our hospital staffing jigsaw for the time being - all accomodation is full now.

We had our quarterly Finance Reveiw last week - our debt is down by 60% which is good news. We must be the only organisation in Zambia that looks at debts of K468 million - 65,ooo pounds and reports that its good. The irony was not lost on me. We are still working well outside our budget and will need to make further cuts - not quite sure where they are going to come from.

Nice day in Lusaka on Saturday, with Pete and Emma. A geckp ran up my trousers while we were at the craft market.

Pete and I have joined Mazabuka Golf Club and now there's is just the small matter of getting our hands on some golf clubs. It's all in the name of networking you understand.

Southend drawn against Man Utd in the next round of the Milk / Rumbelows / Carling Cup - whatever its called these days. Gutted at missing it but will be able to watch it live on tv at one of the farms next week. I am expecting Garry to have a banner near our usual spot at Roots Hall beside the Basildon Shrimpers. Unfortunately Southend are bottom of the league at the moment.

Heidie has gone to Livingstone today to deliver some training in Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV/AIDS. She has gone on the bus so I will be interested to see how she gets on.

Finally, we can now say we are coming home next month. Less than 5 weeks - not that we're counting or anything.