It’s simply impossible! After two years I have finally worked it out. You cannot run a hospital in a developing country without getting grey hairs and losing sleep. You just have to roll with what you have and stay cool. For some reason when I came back after Christmas I thought this year would be easier. It hasn’t been. It’s been harder. Anyway many are the things I cannot understand (cue song!) but I am just going to keep plodding away do the best we can with what we have.
So this week Chikankata Hospital has been in the National news on two occasions. I am not completely sure why but it seems that after the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Chikankata Hospital attracts much interest than any other hospital around Zambia. Incidentally in the last two weeks Chikankata has also had special reports on ABC in the US and TV1 Nord in Denmark.
Anyway, firstly on Monday there was an article in one of the leading newspapers in hailing the management at Chikankata Hospital for their efforts and results in the fight against HIV/AIDS and TB/Leprosy. Cheers!
Then on Tuesday, national radio reports that Chikankata Hospital was facing a critical shortage of drugs. The source was apparently our local MP. Well, we all rushed to our pharmacy to find that every drug on the Essential Drugs List, which is prescribed (get it!) by the Ministry of Health was in stock because of some recent donations. In fact we were handing out drugs to other neighbouring hospitals who were really struggling. So I am meeting with the MP today to see exactly where he is getting his information from. Not cheers!
Also on Tuesday, a group of student nurses arrived for a couple of weeks from Trinity Western University in Canada. It’s been great to have them around and they seem to be enjoying themselves. As you can imaging 12 young white nurses in the hospital has created much interest.
Finally just to report that just before my parents went we had the 20 week scan. It was a great occasion as my parents and sister were also able to view the moving pictures. Everything seems fine and we managed to see the baby’s heart pumping away. We are having some difficulty choosing the names – for some reason Heidie doesn’t like my sole suggestion of The Fonz. I had even offered a compromise of having Fonzerreli as middle name but to no avail. I am holding out for a first name of “The” like in The Hoff or The Hulk but we’ll just have to keep debating. Happy Days!
So this week Chikankata Hospital has been in the National news on two occasions. I am not completely sure why but it seems that after the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Chikankata Hospital attracts much interest than any other hospital around Zambia. Incidentally in the last two weeks Chikankata has also had special reports on ABC in the US and TV1 Nord in Denmark.
Anyway, firstly on Monday there was an article in one of the leading newspapers in hailing the management at Chikankata Hospital for their efforts and results in the fight against HIV/AIDS and TB/Leprosy. Cheers!
Then on Tuesday, national radio reports that Chikankata Hospital was facing a critical shortage of drugs. The source was apparently our local MP. Well, we all rushed to our pharmacy to find that every drug on the Essential Drugs List, which is prescribed (get it!) by the Ministry of Health was in stock because of some recent donations. In fact we were handing out drugs to other neighbouring hospitals who were really struggling. So I am meeting with the MP today to see exactly where he is getting his information from. Not cheers!
Also on Tuesday, a group of student nurses arrived for a couple of weeks from Trinity Western University in Canada. It’s been great to have them around and they seem to be enjoying themselves. As you can imaging 12 young white nurses in the hospital has created much interest.
Finally just to report that just before my parents went we had the 20 week scan. It was a great occasion as my parents and sister were also able to view the moving pictures. Everything seems fine and we managed to see the baby’s heart pumping away. We are having some difficulty choosing the names – for some reason Heidie doesn’t like my sole suggestion of The Fonz. I had even offered a compromise of having Fonzerreli as middle name but to no avail. I am holding out for a first name of “The” like in The Hoff or The Hulk but we’ll just have to keep debating. Happy Days!
posted by Charlie Chikankata at 10:14 am
3 Comments:
Don't talk to me about wives and names! Winston, Philo, Doren and Thistle have all failed to make it onto the birth certificate! All for Lisa's lack of originality!
I'm reading The Shackled Continent you bought me and it's provided some more potential names (names that we are not going to be needing!) - what about Diligent? or Strive?
We recently had a friend who named their son Divine, which could be prefaced with 'The'?!
Either way, we look forward to meeting the latest Bradbury - actually there's an idea - 'The Latest Bradbury'!
5:54 pm
If you're already losing sleep and your hair is going grey your transition into fatherhood is likely to be relatively seemless! It'll just be your sanity and money that goes next!
5:58 pm
What about 'The General'?
6:00 pm
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