Community Unity

Imagine a place where the sick have little resources and the access to medical care is separated by distance, finances and medical providers. This is Ilula and its surrounding regions. Despite these barriers to medical care the beautiful people of Tanzania have come up with innovative, efficient and inspirational measures to help counteract this medical deficiency.  Since the time that our interdisciplinary group arrived in Ilula the most apparent ambiance was the community unity that this village has. The medical directors and officers of Ilula Hospital greeted us graciously. We were regarded by community members as healthcare workers who were looking to make a difference and lend a helping hand to the hospital. As we became oriented to the hospital grounds I was actually surprised to see how well the hospital runs considering the circumstances that constrict the quality and standards of care that are usually seen in the US. We have had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings including the inpt wards, outpt clinics, continuity clinics such as HIV clinic and DM/HTN clinics, maternal wards and a variety of others. The most inspiring feeling that I have after working in any of these settings is the impressiveness of how well the system operates for them. Yes the standard of care from the infectious disease, medical informatics and diagnostic capabilities standpoint is nowhere near that of the developed world. However, with simple organizational techniques, optimistic sanitary techniques and a hopeful stock of medications it seems that the overall care rendered is actually quite effective, efficient and works very well for a rural setting. One specific example that I can expand on was an experience that I had today. If you can believe Ilula Hospital has a palliative care program! I had the opportunity to go with a Medical Officer to a small remote village up in the mountains, about a 45 min drive from the main campus. There was a lady who had her left lower limb amputated secondary to a cancerous process. She is now immobile and is on palliative care for chronic pain. This was an eye opening experience for me because if this were a pt back in the US she most likely would not be on palliative care; we would most likely be able to offer supportive services such as PT/OT and provide mobility devices. On the flip side I was happy to know that comfort cares can be provided here in TZ.  On these palliative care visits there is a priest that usually attends as well which from a patient care perspective I’d say it’s almost necessary. Ilula and Tanzania in general is a very spiritual country. It seems that religion is the vector that is used to bind and solidify the community. The whole town will attend Sunday services and from attending these services myself I am able to see that the church is used to unify the community, to purge emotional/physical hardships and to enlighten and uplift your spiritual wellbeing. I look forward to the upcoming experiences that are yet to come here in Tanzania. I never knew that this experience could be so motivational for me to try and strive to give to communities that are remote and far from me. Realizing that in someway each human being here on this planet is in someway connected and in some form can be touched by other peoples efforts gives me hope that each one of us will take the initiative to try and make a difference in this world.       

*************** This is Rishi's post *************