The majority of my time here in Kumasi has been spent on waiting, waiting and waiting. Generally a normal thing here in Ghana.
TIA (This is Africa)
The office
Friday, July 29, 2011
Happy too soon
Waiting in the freezing cold office of the head of medicine Dr.Amoakov. I was told to meet him at 08.30 but he never came and his secretary told me later he had traffic problems and could not make it and that I have to come back on Monday. So that means that I have just spent one week here trying to sort this whole thing out with the letter and getting it signed.
The majority of my time here in Kumasi has been spent on waiting, waiting and waiting. Generally a normal thing here in Ghana.
TIA (This is Africa)
The majority of my time here in Kumasi has been spent on waiting, waiting and waiting. Generally a normal thing here in Ghana.
TIA (This is Africa)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday 28th July
Yaay my letter is finally ready! Well not yet, but I'm getting close every day.
This hospital isn't as bad as I had expected. They have quite a lot of equipment. I'm not sure who pays for all this though, the government perhaps? I was told that everyone is obliged to have the national health insurance here but sometimes patients need to pay for extra costs, such as HIV meds for example.
There are so many nurses around the hospital and they are all very fakey friendly to each other. There is no staff problem here it seems.
Of course the conditions are a bit poor such as the decor and perhaps the hygiene for the patients (eg.toilet and showers).
There are quite a lot of people in one ward, about 36 people in the big wards.
Everything seems to be quite slack, such as the nurses just carrying around their handbags and playing with their phones in the ward while doing other things. Also the wards are just accessible for anyone to walk through, once you've passed the one security guard downstairs that is. Usually the wards are female and male separated but some wards are mixed.
So after waiting another 3-4 hours I got my letter. But then the head of the Medicine department wasn't in so have to meet him tomorrow morning to get the letter signed so that I can be assigned to a team.
Faustina took Sarah and me around to looks at some surgery wards. We went to the Burns unit where we had to wear a gown and shoe and head covers which was fun, then to the "special ward" which is like the private back home. 100 cedis per night for a bed in the 4 bed ward and 150 cedis per night to have a private bedroom. This looked so much more like hospitals back home. Very clean, nicely decorated and generally more fresh atmosphere. Also the rooms have their own bathrooms which are so much better than the ones in the normal wards. And then we went to Radiology as well.
Clexane is free on health insurance but heparin is not. That is 22 cedis per vial. Heparin is more saturated than Clexane. Heparin can be used to treat skin burns on the face so that the pale whiteness disappears and helps the face to return back to normal. But the boy we saw who fell into a pan with hot oil could not afford this (100 cedis per day for 7 days) so he would only the basic treatments.
This hospital isn't as bad as I had expected. They have quite a lot of equipment. I'm not sure who pays for all this though, the government perhaps? I was told that everyone is obliged to have the national health insurance here but sometimes patients need to pay for extra costs, such as HIV meds for example.
There are so many nurses around the hospital and they are all very fakey friendly to each other. There is no staff problem here it seems.
Sarah at the modern building A&E department
Of course the conditions are a bit poor such as the decor and perhaps the hygiene for the patients (eg.toilet and showers).
There are quite a lot of people in one ward, about 36 people in the big wards.
Everything seems to be quite slack, such as the nurses just carrying around their handbags and playing with their phones in the ward while doing other things. Also the wards are just accessible for anyone to walk through, once you've passed the one security guard downstairs that is. Usually the wards are female and male separated but some wards are mixed.
So after waiting another 3-4 hours I got my letter. But then the head of the Medicine department wasn't in so have to meet him tomorrow morning to get the letter signed so that I can be assigned to a team.
Faustina took Sarah and me around to looks at some surgery wards. We went to the Burns unit where we had to wear a gown and shoe and head covers which was fun, then to the "special ward" which is like the private back home. 100 cedis per night for a bed in the 4 bed ward and 150 cedis per night to have a private bedroom. This looked so much more like hospitals back home. Very clean, nicely decorated and generally more fresh atmosphere. Also the rooms have their own bathrooms which are so much better than the ones in the normal wards. And then we went to Radiology as well.
Clexane is free on health insurance but heparin is not. That is 22 cedis per vial. Heparin is more saturated than Clexane. Heparin can be used to treat skin burns on the face so that the pale whiteness disappears and helps the face to return back to normal. But the boy we saw who fell into a pan with hot oil could not afford this (100 cedis per day for 7 days) so he would only the basic treatments.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Burns Ward
As expected I waited for nurse Faustina this morning for about 2 hours, not as bad this time although I was standing waiting because she agreed to meet at ward D3 so that was quite tiring and a bit annoying waiting again.
For me to be allowed to walk around the hospital with a dr. I need a letter stating this signed by the Medical director. He must be a very busy man because he hasn't been available for the past two days. "He's in a meeting"
There was also another girl following Faustina with me. She said she was a medical student from Moscow but she seemed extremely Ghanian to me!
After looking for the director again with no luck I was placed in the Burns ward to look around there with some very kind nurses who explained everything to me and were very hospitable and showed how they wrapped the plaster bandages. Some social workers also came in to discuss the patients health insurance, whether they are able to afford the costs. There were whole discussions going on between them because one child didn't have insurance and the family couldn't pay for the treatment costs so the social workers have to help them sort it out. (Happy I didn't become a social worker like the Penfound advice lady suggested haha)
There was one man with 3rd degree burns all over his body since he had an accident on his motorbike which went up in flames. Another little girl had a very big burn (3rd degree) on her arm because of hot water accident. She already had undergone grafting but it still looked very bright red. All her fingers were naturally amputated because of it. \
Hot water (thermal burns) is the main cause of burns I was told. Other reasons are chemical (with acid which people throw at each other during fights especially those working in the gold mines where they use some acidic substance to clean the gold), electrical, fire and frost (but not in Ghana obviously).
I've realised lots of the staff at the hospital have been to Scotland, for some training, such as the staff nurse at the Burns ward went to Glasgow and Dundee for a plastic surgery training.
When I'm asked which uni I'm from: Norwich. Oh, East London? Sort of, it is East of London but I think they think it is in London. Surprisingly many people have heard of it though.
For me to be allowed to walk around the hospital with a dr. I need a letter stating this signed by the Medical director. He must be a very busy man because he hasn't been available for the past two days. "He's in a meeting"
There was also another girl following Faustina with me. She said she was a medical student from Moscow but she seemed extremely Ghanian to me!
After looking for the director again with no luck I was placed in the Burns ward to look around there with some very kind nurses who explained everything to me and were very hospitable and showed how they wrapped the plaster bandages. Some social workers also came in to discuss the patients health insurance, whether they are able to afford the costs. There were whole discussions going on between them because one child didn't have insurance and the family couldn't pay for the treatment costs so the social workers have to help them sort it out. (Happy I didn't become a social worker like the Penfound advice lady suggested haha)
There was one man with 3rd degree burns all over his body since he had an accident on his motorbike which went up in flames. Another little girl had a very big burn (3rd degree) on her arm because of hot water accident. She already had undergone grafting but it still looked very bright red. All her fingers were naturally amputated because of it. \
Hot water (thermal burns) is the main cause of burns I was told. Other reasons are chemical (with acid which people throw at each other during fights especially those working in the gold mines where they use some acidic substance to clean the gold), electrical, fire and frost (but not in Ghana obviously).
I've realised lots of the staff at the hospital have been to Scotland, for some training, such as the staff nurse at the Burns ward went to Glasgow and Dundee for a plastic surgery training.
When I'm asked which uni I'm from: Norwich. Oh, East London? Sort of, it is East of London but I think they think it is in London. Surprisingly many people have heard of it though.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Kumasi
It's funny to see loafs of bread fly past the windows with La vache qui rit logos on them. 20 people carrying all the same.This bus trip to Kumasi is longer than 4 hours, Mike was right, about 6 hours! Luxury bus with luxury looking people in inside (VIP bus of course).
It was a rush this morning to have breakfast to be ready on time for Daniel to come pick me up, but he arrived an hour later than we had agreed and were only at the bus station another hour after that where we still had to wait for an empty bus. There are no set times for the buses to leave, they just go when they're full. Just from this station there are 40 buses going to Kumasi per day!
Most of the trip was very bumpy since the road was just a dirt road and if there was a bit of tarmac road it was full of pot holes. We were entertained by a local film where everyone in the bus was commenting on talking to themselves. There was a friendly lady next to me who waited for me in Kumasi when we got off the bus because it was so chaotic and she wanted to be sure I found Mike. There were ladies attacking the bus as we entered the bus station, it looked as though they wanted to steal the bags in the load but I later found out that these ladies coming from the North wanted to carry the bags and charge you for it. Luckily I managed to collect all my 6 bags on time with the help of this lady.
Arrived at the host family house, which is so nice for what I've seen and expected. The family is nice too, they don't talk too much though. The other volunteer girls are from Canada who is studying Pharmacy in Hong Kong and the other is from Germany but studying Urban Planning at a college in New York. They've already been here together for about a week. I've got my own room with mosquito net and fan.
According to Sarah, the other girl who also works at the hospital, it's quite relaxed, she doesn't really have to work, but just follow the doctors around.
I though I would start today already at 8am but today I will have an orientation by one of the sons,Kwame around town I think and then start tomorrow at the hospital.
It was a rush this morning to have breakfast to be ready on time for Daniel to come pick me up, but he arrived an hour later than we had agreed and were only at the bus station another hour after that where we still had to wait for an empty bus. There are no set times for the buses to leave, they just go when they're full. Just from this station there are 40 buses going to Kumasi per day!
Most of the trip was very bumpy since the road was just a dirt road and if there was a bit of tarmac road it was full of pot holes. We were entertained by a local film where everyone in the bus was commenting on talking to themselves. There was a friendly lady next to me who waited for me in Kumasi when we got off the bus because it was so chaotic and she wanted to be sure I found Mike. There were ladies attacking the bus as we entered the bus station, it looked as though they wanted to steal the bags in the load but I later found out that these ladies coming from the North wanted to carry the bags and charge you for it. Luckily I managed to collect all my 6 bags on time with the help of this lady.
Arrived at the host family house, which is so nice for what I've seen and expected. The family is nice too, they don't talk too much though. The other volunteer girls are from Canada who is studying Pharmacy in Hong Kong and the other is from Germany but studying Urban Planning at a college in New York. They've already been here together for about a week. I've got my own room with mosquito net and fan.
According to Sarah, the other girl who also works at the hospital, it's quite relaxed, she doesn't really have to work, but just follow the doctors around.
I though I would start today already at 8am but today I will have an orientation by one of the sons,Kwame around town I think and then start tomorrow at the hospital.
Kejetia market Kumasi
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Images of Africa
At night just as lively as during the day.Contrast between the more well off elegantly dressed dancing away at a party while others in scruffy clothes are still walking around trying to sell their products before the next day.
There is barely any light on the streets. People literally sleeping on the streets. 5 year olds carrying big buckets of water or fruits to sell on their heads all day.
At the bus station 3 hours early (but the bus left 4 hours after I arrived. Had nothing to do anyway and wanted to be sure to definitely get on this only bus today. Nice breeze,TV and not bothered by anyone.
From a distance there is a goat being burnt and others waiting for their fate as well.
Images of Africa: kids running after tyres with a stick, people walking miles in the bush just to get a bucket of water, houses made of thatch and mud.
Havn't seen any rubbish bins yet, both on the streets and in the hotels. The rubbish is dumped everywhere on street.
There is lots of reference to God on street and seems that everyone admires USA
There is barely any light on the streets. People literally sleeping on the streets. 5 year olds carrying big buckets of water or fruits to sell on their heads all day.
At the bus station 3 hours early (but the bus left 4 hours after I arrived. Had nothing to do anyway and wanted to be sure to definitely get on this only bus today. Nice breeze,TV and not bothered by anyone.
From a distance there is a goat being burnt and others waiting for their fate as well.
Images of Africa: kids running after tyres with a stick, people walking miles in the bush just to get a bucket of water, houses made of thatch and mud.
Havn't seen any rubbish bins yet, both on the streets and in the hotels. The rubbish is dumped everywhere on street.
There is lots of reference to God on street and seems that everyone admires USA
Saturday, July 23, 2011
The moving bakery
In the busy street trying not to be run over, difficulty finding an empty taxi so then just got in one which already had 3 people in it! They call this "share taxi". Luckily I wasn't in a hurry because after half an hour of dropping people off and picking up new ones we were at the same place where I got in at the Crab statue. Didn't mind because had nothing else to do and it was quite fun just looking out and being squashed in the middle of two good sized Ghanian ladies shouting out the windows. One was also carrying a baby on her back so it was a bit of a tight squeeze.
Went to the STC bus station to already buy a ticket for tomorrow to Accra but the not so friendly lady said it wasn't possible to buy in advance here.
Continued with the same taxi to the university to look around. I didn't expect it to be so big! Thought I could just get out anywhere and walk around, but I had no idea where to get out so stayed in the taxi and he drove around and explained what the buildings were. At first sight this reminded me a lot of UPM with the spaced out buildings and the wide roads with plenty greenery.
However as we drove further it was clear this wasn't as nice as UPM. Maybe because it's holiday now so no students about and the place looked a bit dead. The whole thing was sort of in the middle of the bush. There was one main hostel for the students and the lecturers also lived on the campus in small cottages. We drove past the faculty of education, development, science and medical science which was literally surrounded by bushes and trees in the back of the campus.
Judging from the signs I expected the uni to be more developped and modern but to me it still sort of looked like a construction site. Also on the campus there were huts as hawker stalls with people living there in between them on the streets.
Getting back to the Crab statue, went to walk about a bit past "London bridge" (not actually a bridge) and I though I was following my small map but probably missed a turning and ended up walking for quite a long time. From the map it looks like 6km! On the way I bought a (hand) bag for only 2cedis, the one with the world map on it named "prego" and also a bread bun for only 30 pesewas which was so nice and fresh coming from on top of the girls head.
You have to be lucky to see the right things you're looking for come past (such as bread) and take the chance because you don't know when the next breads will walk past. You can't just go to the bakery to get some, the breads will hopefully come to you!
Mostly what I've noticed coming past though as nice smelly fish heads!
I've managed to track down some more bread buns while walking past the shore where it was obvious to see that the less wealthy people lived here. In the smell of fish, half dressed babies and kids with broken slippers running around pulling on my shirt shouting "obrungi!" (foreigner) and other people looking much more at me than on the main street. The people here actually lived on the street, eating, selling their catch of the day, washing, using the small dried up stream as toilet and even sleeping.
So I thought saying I was French will work, but the guy who asked today spoke French so alas that too isn't the solution. Maybe Russian?
Went to the STC bus station to already buy a ticket for tomorrow to Accra but the not so friendly lady said it wasn't possible to buy in advance here.
Continued with the same taxi to the university to look around. I didn't expect it to be so big! Thought I could just get out anywhere and walk around, but I had no idea where to get out so stayed in the taxi and he drove around and explained what the buildings were. At first sight this reminded me a lot of UPM with the spaced out buildings and the wide roads with plenty greenery.
However as we drove further it was clear this wasn't as nice as UPM. Maybe because it's holiday now so no students about and the place looked a bit dead. The whole thing was sort of in the middle of the bush. There was one main hostel for the students and the lecturers also lived on the campus in small cottages. We drove past the faculty of education, development, science and medical science which was literally surrounded by bushes and trees in the back of the campus.
Judging from the signs I expected the uni to be more developped and modern but to me it still sort of looked like a construction site. Also on the campus there were huts as hawker stalls with people living there in between them on the streets.
Getting back to the Crab statue, went to walk about a bit past "London bridge" (not actually a bridge) and I though I was following my small map but probably missed a turning and ended up walking for quite a long time. From the map it looks like 6km! On the way I bought a (hand) bag for only 2cedis, the one with the world map on it named "prego" and also a bread bun for only 30 pesewas which was so nice and fresh coming from on top of the girls head.
You have to be lucky to see the right things you're looking for come past (such as bread) and take the chance because you don't know when the next breads will walk past. You can't just go to the bakery to get some, the breads will hopefully come to you!
Mostly what I've noticed coming past though as nice smelly fish heads!
I've managed to track down some more bread buns while walking past the shore where it was obvious to see that the less wealthy people lived here. In the smell of fish, half dressed babies and kids with broken slippers running around pulling on my shirt shouting "obrungi!" (foreigner) and other people looking much more at me than on the main street. The people here actually lived on the street, eating, selling their catch of the day, washing, using the small dried up stream as toilet and even sleeping.
So I thought saying I was French will work, but the guy who asked today spoke French so alas that too isn't the solution. Maybe Russian?
Friday, July 22, 2011
TGIF
Visiting Elmina Castle was nice and the tour was very informative. People here always ask "Where are you from?" Well, you can't say Dutch since they were involved in the slave trade, you can't say British although better than Dutch because they stopped the slave trading and set up good things for Ghana, but then they keep on talking to you. Maybe it's better to say French or Finish?
I've learnt today not to always be friendly to everybody, even as rude as it seems it's probably best to just ignore them and keep walking on.
I was convinced to hand over 10cedi's ($5) to this guy outside Elmina castle selling shells, for what he said was a project to set up a football club for the locals. I felt a bit obliged to give him something since he had given me a shell with my name on it (well written as "Deve"). I told him this is completely illegal for me to take back home but he didn't understand. Luckily I got into a taxi and headed back to Cape Coast.
I've learnt today not to always be friendly to everybody, even as rude as it seems it's probably best to just ignore them and keep walking on.
I was convinced to hand over 10cedi's ($5) to this guy outside Elmina castle selling shells, for what he said was a project to set up a football club for the locals. I felt a bit obliged to give him something since he had given me a shell with my name on it (well written as "Deve"). I told him this is completely illegal for me to take back home but he didn't understand. Luckily I got into a taxi and headed back to Cape Coast.
Elmina Castle
Elmina harbour
Tour
Pirates?
Sitting on a hill overlooking the town right next to the cathedral is the Prospect hotel.
Advertising airco and cable TV this sounds great, however funnily enough the TV only has one channel all about Nazi Germany (which wasn't great but something to look at at least) but has now changed into an African Coastal channel. I can barely understand what the people are saying on it, it always seems as though they are shouting!
Mostly this channel is showing profiles about people who have died and naming all their relatives, how nice.
My room at Prospect Lodge
On one side of my room is the bush and on the other is the living area of that staff and what looks like the kitchen and washing up place. I can also hear the sound of the cathedral organ being played in the background.
Strangely enough I havn't felt or seen any mosquito bites yet but shouldn't talk to soon!
Up to now I've only seen 2 mosquitos (must say they were quite big!), but maybe I'm being too paranoid about them. Better safe than sorry I guess!
Street image of Cape Coast
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Ahoy Cape Coast!
Names I've been called by so far on the streets:
This town reminds me of pirate times, with all the boats with flags and all the trading going on. Especially the "quiet beach" right next to the castle with all the boats parked on it and the people are actually just living in between them in little shacks and fishermen making fishing nets out of thread along the side.
I have a first row seat observing the men pulling in fishing nets on the beach chanting in sync.
- Obrungi (meaing foreigner)
- Essi Aka (a local name)
- A white lady/Pretty girl
- Princess and Baby
My hut at Oasis beach resort overlooking the sea
This town reminds me of pirate times, with all the boats with flags and all the trading going on. Especially the "quiet beach" right next to the castle with all the boats parked on it and the people are actually just living in between them in little shacks and fishermen making fishing nets out of thread along the side.
I have a first row seat observing the men pulling in fishing nets on the beach chanting in sync.
Cape Coast Castle
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Pee or toilet?
After lots of fiddle, I was picked up from the airport by Godwin. After an hour of driving we still hadn't reached the guest house and while we were driving through what looked like a small village (found out later it was actually the suburb of Accra called Deshie) I was starting to get a little bit worried. On the way we also hit a chicken which got stuck in the wheel and got stuck in a mud hole. There were no roads, only dusty orange dirt roads and shacks alongside it. However there was no reason to worry, it was all very safe. This guest house was just the house of Godwin and his family. It was right in the middle of no where, so very quiet, only the sound of the crickets and occasionaly the people praying (more like shouting) across the road. We were right opposite the military training sport field so this place was 150% safe he said. Also he said there were actually soldiers in the bushes looking out like big brother!
There are so many people everywhere! It's incredible.
Sitting in the luxury of an airco bus looking out at the world pass by is very enjoyable.
Okay I've been to one public toilet. The time had to come some time for which I was a bit worrying about. I was expecting just a hole in the muddy floor but this was different, but also not that pleasant as well. For the sum of 10 pesewas (about 5 $ cents) I had the pleasure to use the "ladies urinal".
"Pee or toilet?" the toilet man asked. Toilet cost double so I went for pee.
A good sized African lady comes out closing her skirt and I can already smell the odour and feel the flies swarming about. Luckily I was the only one in there at the time since this was communal!
I though Chinese toilets were bad, I take that back! Forgot not having any doors, at least in China there were small separations (walls) between the holes. This one at the bus stop in Accra was just a sort of open sewer stream where you just had to do with while looking at the behinds of the people in front of you!
During the bus trip, it was comforting to see signs saying "32 people died here" and "15 people died here" and "24 people died here" along the road every 200 metres!
There are so many people everywhere! It's incredible.
Sitting in the luxury of an airco bus looking out at the world pass by is very enjoyable.
Okay I've been to one public toilet. The time had to come some time for which I was a bit worrying about. I was expecting just a hole in the muddy floor but this was different, but also not that pleasant as well. For the sum of 10 pesewas (about 5 $ cents) I had the pleasure to use the "ladies urinal".
"Pee or toilet?" the toilet man asked. Toilet cost double so I went for pee.
A good sized African lady comes out closing her skirt and I can already smell the odour and feel the flies swarming about. Luckily I was the only one in there at the time since this was communal!
I though Chinese toilets were bad, I take that back! Forgot not having any doors, at least in China there were small separations (walls) between the holes. This one at the bus stop in Accra was just a sort of open sewer stream where you just had to do with while looking at the behinds of the people in front of you!
During the bus trip, it was comforting to see signs saying "32 people died here" and "15 people died here" and "24 people died here" along the road every 200 metres!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Culture Shock?
Makola Market. Heavy traffic and all quite chaotic and hot experience. Every direction I looked in, there was a sea of bright and vivid colours created by the clothes of the elegant ladies who were on their heads carrying their items to sell, fruits and even their baggage! These scenarios would've made for such lovely photographs. However I didn't feel that comfortable taking pictures here, especially not after a lady aggressively told me off for doing it and said I would be taken by the police if I continued! So from then on I kept the camera in my bag and occasionally took some blurry snaps from the dusty taxi window. It was enjoyable observing the local life on the streets and being amazed at the vendors trying to sell all sorts of products from fruits, peanuts to even bags of onions and square pieces of foam swarmed around cars stuck in the traffic. I was amazed by their skill of balancing their products on their heads while quickly running after a moving trotro to finish the deal.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Arriving in the Dark Africa
Visa? Check. Yellow fever? Check. Other vaccines? Check. Mosquito net? Check. Malarone? Check. Gifts? Check.
After all these preparations for my adventure to Ghana, this would be my first time to what I would call a "real" African country, excluding Egypt, Tunisia and South Africa. So all this trouble for what? That is what you will find out by reading my blog for the next coming few weeks.
So here I am after a short flight of only about 6 hours seated between two sturdy Ghanese men in the capital of Ghana, the "Warrior King" country, Accra. While sitting in the cockpit during the landing, the expression "Dark Africa" was to be seen. Everything was pitch black until only a couple of minutes from touch town when the flashing runway was in sight. My first happening on African ground was being mistaken for a VIP passenger and rushed from the stairs of the plane into a nice Bently car with security guards all around. This was quite funny because I understood something along the lines of "are you Anneke's daughter" or some sort of name with Anneke in it, so just being struck by the sticky heat and immediate feeling of mosquitoes everywhere I unknowingly said yes. Of course I realised something was a bit fishy and luckily got out of it and ran into the normal people bus. A few minutes later the real VIP lady with an enormous hat covering most of her face disembarked the plane and the darkened car quickly drove off. I'm still intrigued to find out who this mysterious lady was. Strangely she wasn't seated in the Buisiness class, maybe to keep a low cover? I have a feeling she's some actress perhaps. Oh well, it doesn't really matter, guess I'll never find out.
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