Its vaccination week. There was a case of polio up in Kusseri, in the far north. So this spawns a reaction to vaccinate everyone in the north. These are sponsored by the WHO, UNICEF, and World Bank. So for the local population it is free. This time, polio, Vit A and Mebendazole are given to all children up to 5 years of age. Last month it was vaccination of all pregnant women for tetanus.
I head out early to do my supervision of the process early before arriving at the hospital late, around 10AM. It is cold, 61deg. I think that’s the coldest I have ever seen. After supervision I hope to finish rounds, and see the outpatients before 3PM. Then back to the village to verify a cartier or two before the sun goes down at 6PM.
I take the motorcycle out across the main road and head for the mountains. I pass children in blue uniforms heading to school. Some wear simple plastic shoes, others with tennis shoes. Some with baseball caps. One has sunglasses on. They walk in groups of 2-4 it seems. As I go out further, I pass a four year old girl carrying her little sister on her back. Boys run by with a stick pushing an old motorcycle tire. I pass a one year old child playing in the dirt in front of his dirt home. Dust flies up as he pats the ground and throws dirt in the air. I lock up my breaks as 4 goats dart across in front of me. I cross the river and climb the other side. There is a wide area that no one lives on, this is the burial ground. I pass it and when I re-enter the habitable area I nearly run over a chicken that is finding something near the dirt path I’m following. I find the vaccinators passing from house to house. I have to verify that the vaccines are maintained in the cooler with ice packs and are in good condition. I also look at the way they mark the house with chalk, to assure that it is correct. Then on to find another group.
I cross a flat area with dried grass along the path about 2 feet tall. Next I find two women vaccinating a group of children. I check out their cooler and find vaccines and some flat food patties they are keeping cool along with them. I explain why that is not good and take them out. They mark the fingernails of the children to show that they are vaccinated.
I drive on to another section of the village. I pass a group of young boys kicking around a deflated red ball. Another group is using a wad of tape. I pass mothers carrying wood on their heads, babies on their backs. Others have a sac of millet on their heads, headed towards the grinding mill. I verify a few others before heading to the hospital.
I see a few patients in the clinic, then head to the OR. I have a prostate to take out. After the surgery we take the patient to their room and explain to the family how to verify that the irrigation is passing well. I tell them because I’m sure the nurse doesn’t pass real often, especially if there is a delivery. So the family is the eyes I need to watch the irrigation. In the evening I head back to see if the children are marked correctly and they are vaccinated in the cartier they say they have finished.
I arrive at a small building that has three rooms. It is the Kilda health center. It was just opened officially by the sous-prefet. The vaccinators are all sitting around in front of it, wrapping up the days numbers to hand in to the district health department. After talking to them I head to an area with a number of houses. I park the motorcycle and head house to house asking to see the children less than 5 years old. I check their fingers and ask their mothers if they know why we vaccinated their children. Most don’t know and some refuse to have their children vaccinated. I find 6 children non-vaccinated. We have to repass through this cartier. It is now to dark to see and I head home. Home to sit and recuperate from the day. I often wish I had less responsibilities, but I figure many adults wish that. Greg