IF GOD GREE

Blog month 3 (March)

  

The poda poda are the little minibuses which provide transport for maximum passengers in minimum space on the roads of Freetown. In structure, they are quite comparable to sardine cans, and it is doubtful whether any of them have seen the inside of a garage since they were assembled, however they do have a bright and cheerful array of designs and logos on their front.

The words above are equivalent to “God willing” – gree is agree in Krio. Other good mottos I have seen include: “Pray for the Travellers”; “Allah is in Charge” (you would have hoped the driver had some control!); “Pity the Children” but also “Nor Moless Pikin” (do not molest children) and the more self-centred “God bless Mr K”.

I have not quite managed to get a picture of these good logos – they are normally whizzing past at high speed on the wrong side of the road – but do have some photos taken from a car of how busy and how laden the poda podas get.

Life is very busy in Freetown – big city pace – but I was happy to get out and visit the 2^nd city of Bo last week. There was a workshop for all the health volunteers in the country there, and it was lovely to meet up with everyone and enjoy a slower, more peaceful way of living (no 2hr commutes).

Work at PCMH in Freetown is still pretty tough and I haven’t managed to work out if they have or could have any system for getting the work done more efficiently. True, “African time” means that all appointments are pretty flexible for the timing, but my hospital takes that to the extreme. Clinics, theatre and scans do not proceed in any organised way but just seem to happen at random (I don’t know who is deciding – it’s not me!) There are no internal phones but I get called on my mobile to ask me to go here and there, quicker just to do it and see what comes next. But I promise this random arrangement is not coming with me back to the NHS…..it will be no good at all for all our colleagues with OCD (you thought that was me, didn’t you?). The teaching schedule I was trying to put in place is quite disrupted by all the time-keeping problems and I’m not getting through what I hoped to do but just remember: high standards, low expectations. There is a very fatalistic approach to everything – I think they feel that “Allah is in Charge” here too!

Blog week 4

Here I am still alive in Freetown after 4 weeks – and at the start of my stay that seemed a bit unlikely! I have to say that living and working here is among the most challenging things I have ever done. Life is just not easy for the majority of people living here. I have to say, of course, that I am fortunate compared to most, but the conditions of life mean that you seriously have to curtail your plans for getting anything done, whether on a professional or personal level.

The first weeks at PCMH hospital where I have my placement were quite difficult. The house officers, who make up half the medical staff and do most of the practical work, had not been paid for 3 months and they decided to go on strike as their complaints were being ignored. This was understandable, but unfortunately the midwives decided that if there were no house officers to review the patients, they would not do the initial triage and assessment although they were still in the clinics and emergency rooms on duty. So they just shut the doors and the waiting areas filled with patients, including those coming in by the one hospital ambulance. The consultants are not around much after the morning review as they go to see their private patients. So in the week I should have been getting my induction and orientation, I ended up down in clinics and triage with one other doctor, trying to see 30 patients (and they do live up to their name of patient here – no complaints like we would be getting at home!) Actually the problems are similar to those at home and many of them could be helped with basic things like IV fluids or antibiotics, or admitted to the labour ward. I have seen lots of interesting cases from a medical point of view, but it is an exhausting way to work. Fortunately the situation with pay seemed to get resolved after a week so the house officers have come back to work. I still need to get my job plan sorted out, and I’m hoping that there will be some way to fit in sessions for the house officers as well as medical students and midwives, but it will take a bit of time to work that out.

The other main issue for me is transport across the city to the hospital. It is in the east end, pretty much among the slums, and public transport doesn’t go across the big market that is in the middle of the city. Plus there is terrible congestion on the roads and in the public transport at peak times. It’s been taking me about 2 hours each way to go from my house to the hospital and is not very safe. VSO don’t automatically provide any transport but hopefully they will be able to do something to help out as I don’t think I can carry on in this way.

At least I have had my weekends off and that has given me a bit of time to buy some food in the market and do some cooking, also to find a swimming pool where I can cool off from the constant sweaty heat (and have a shower) and a few walks out of town to escape the craziness. Everyone is different, but I’m not a big city person and I think I will be spending some time out of Freetown when I can.

That’s all for now, there’s no electricity tonight so will try to post this while I still have power on my computer.

Carolyn

Week 2

Sierra Leone Blog No 1

Hello everyone and welcome to Freetown.

Addy-do? As they say for hello, or how do you do. People are very friendly and keen to talk – but for the first week I have been rushing around trying to do all my VSO stuff and admin, and hardly had time to take breath! We were brought in on Sunday night, after a 6-hour flight and 4-hour slog through airport immigration, baggage, customs and exit via the water taxi,  to finally arrive in Freetown city and be dropped at our accommodation. VSO does provide basic facilities, which I am glad to have, however on the first night there was no electricity or running water and it was a bit difficult to get my bearings! Things are improving slightly on the electricity front but still need to get water from a standpipe in jerrycans (and up the 2 flights of stairs!) I have 2 great flatmates who have been helping me out with food and explaining how to get internet access via a dongle, but am yet to make it to the AirTel office to buy one of those.

Work so far has been in the VSO office sorting out all our papers etc and getting general induction.  There are 10 new volunteers working in different projects around healthcare and secure livelihoods. I’m going to go to one of the small women’s health units to meet some midwives tomorrow, but my base hospital is further across town and I’m not going there til next week. I will try to keep you posted!

PS The above post was written on my first weekend but I couldn’t manage to get it uploaded. Now a few days further down the line and a few more experiences under my belt: met the Salonean Minister of Health (an impressive woman with a history of activist work); found a swimming pool nearby which has good showers(important for my general cleanliness!) and – not so good – had my phone nicked somewhere between the VSO office and home, don’t even know how it happened but here I am Week 2, phone 2…..can’t let this become a trend.

So…..messages and texts from home very important. Anyone who has time, drop me a line. Number is on my Facebook or just PM me.

I’ll see if I can upload this now and be in touch again soon.

Carolyn

Arrived in Freetown

I have safely arrived and have a post I'm trying to upload.....internet connection has been very difficult so thank you for your patience and I will hopefully get it uploaded soon.
Carolyn

VSO Fundraiser

On Sunday 4th December I held a salsa fundraiser event at Grange Cricket Club in Edinburgh.
There was a great turnout from the salsa community, family and friends.
Generous donations from professional dancers and teachers led to some great sessions on the evening and wonderful prizes on offer in the raffle!
My friend Frances McKay did a fantastic job in helping to organise the event, drum up support and sell lots of tickets.
People on the night had a great time, danced their feet off and gave very generously too.

At the end of the night we had raised a grand total of £750 from tickets, raffle and donations, smashing our target and putting my fundraising over the £1000 mark overall!

Filling every minute!

I've had a pretty busy 3 weeks at work in Forth Park, doing my on-call block of nights, long days and weekends. Finished the last shift this morning feeling exhausted but relieved that I now have a bit of breathing space to carry on getting things sorted out for heading to Freetown in January.
I am relieved that I am getting contacts over in Sierra Leone, who can give me good advice on what to expect and what to bring.
I am also really touched by the support from a whole range of people back home in lots of different areas, from fundraising to practical help for moving house or getting my equipment sorted.
Forth Park is closing in January and moving to a new site together with the main medical unit in Kirkcaldy. Ironically, the closing day there is probably going to fall on my last week of work before leaving with VSO, so I am definitely wanting to attend the big leaving party and say goodbye to everyone!

Carolyn Ford is fundraising for Voluntary Service Overseas

Carolyn Ford is fundraising for Voluntary Service Overseas