Good morning from Mongu! Or, more appropriately, muzuile cwani (meaning good morning in Silozi, the most commonly spoken language here). I (Cierra) am currently sitting outside soaking up the sun at Liseli Lodge (our temporary home) and reflecting on the past 12 days since we left Kelowna. On one hand, it feels like we've been gone forever, and on the other it feels like it's been just minutes since we were enjoying our last Subway sandwich in the Vancouver airport. We have been in Mongu for just over a week now and I have had the chance to witness several amazing sunrises/sunsets, tried the famous Mongu rice, shopped at the local market, and looked out over the beautiful Zambezi floodplains. On the less pleasant side, Steph and I also got to meet our third roommate, a very large spider that we semi-affectionately named Big Mama. As long as she does her share of the housework, we will let her live.
On the clinical side, I had the opportunity to spend three days working on labour & delivery at Lewanika General hospital, an experience which was simultaneously eye-opening, heart-warming, and educational. Avneet, Alana, and I learned a lot from doing rounds with the doctors who were all eager to quiz us and share their knowledge and experiences with us. I also had some interesting conversations with nurses about the differences between Zambia and Canada in terms of most common diseases, prevalence of teen pregnancy, differences in birth practices, and more. For example, I learned that it is very rare for any family members to be present during a delivery in Zambia. The nurse I was speaking to was surprised when I told her that in Canada it is very common for the labouring mother's partner and/or family members to be right at her side. Conversations such as these are a reminder that we can all learn so much from each other if we are open to it.
Although it has been a positive experience overall (I mean, who doesn't love adorable newborn babies!), there have also been moments of sadness and frustration as I realize just how much inequality is present in the world. As an example, while the nurses are extremely creative and skilled at doing their best with what is available, there is simply no denying the lack of available supplies and resources. For instance, Avneet, Alana, and I all brought our own eyewear to put on for protection during deliveries, something that seems especially important here considering the rates of HIV and other infectious diseases. Some of the staff expressed that they wished they could use this protection as well, but we were only able to find one pair of glasses on their whole unit. It is difficult to imagine myself in their position of knowing the safest and best practices but being unable to carry them out. These realizations have also encouraged me to reflect on our healthcare practices back home in Canada; we are so fortunate to have an abundance of resources, so much so that they are often taken for granted and even wasted. One of my goals in my future nursing practice is to be more conscious of how I am using the resources that we are so lucky to have.
Well folks, I think this has been long winded enough! Best wishes to all of our friends and family back home, we
miss you dearly.
Cierra
 |
| Liseli Lodge - where we live! |
No comments:
Post a Comment