Because it is not an official hospital, Kokosko doesn't receive provision for providing food to patients, even those that are required to stay overnight for treatment. Local churches have volunteers that come in to cook. We saw ten women in a small kitchen cooking for over 50 people. The space and equipment is inadequate to meet these needs.
Most patients receive one meal, usually porridge made from ground peanuts and corn meal. Today they were getting chicken and vegetables (pumpkin leaves and something similar to broccoli), thanks to the ladies from the church.
Overall, there is inadequate space, meaning that a lot of the medication sits unopened in the hallways. There is one treatment area where wounds are dressed, patients are evaluated, and minor procedures performed. The laboratory facilities (hematology, microbiology, pathology, etc.) are fit in one room, and staffed by two committed doctors. They must do all of the testing and investigation for the hospital. This creates a backlog often, which only prolongs treatment opportunities.
Patients who are too seriously injured or ill are transfered to a hospital in Chingola. Because of this, approximately $8,000 per month earmarked for Chililabombwe goes to the hospital in Chingola to cover these costs. This money goes there regardless of how many patients are referred. Additionally, Chililabombwe has no ambulance, which makes travel difficult. The hospital receives about $1,200 per month to provide all cleaning, tests, and basic services.
(Chililabombwe is the size of a typical county in Texas, with the majority of people in the township, but many small villages scattered about. Again, without an ambulance service, many of these people are forced to walk or ride a bicycle to receive care.)
They also perform testing for tuberculosis and HIV. However, they are limited in how many tests they can perform per week, creating more backlog and delays in treatment. There is only one doctor in this office, who does all of the testing and counseling with the patients.
They have three wards (men, women, and children) where patients stay for observation. Each ward has been adopted by a church, who helps to clean and provide linens for the ward. Beds are limited as well.
The good news is that the town raised money to build a new laboratory, radiology department, and operating room. However, they still lack about $120,000 to finish. For now, the rooms are used for additional storage, and educational classes. We saw a class where nurses were teaching new mothers how to make porridge, because their children were malnourished.
Healthcare still costs about $2 per day, a stretch for many of those living in Chililabombwe. However, the town council is committed to providing as many people with healthcare as they can, using their own funds to help provide new facilities and equipment. If they can finish this building project, they will be recognized as a hospital, and the money that is being routed to Chingola will be kept in the community.
I have tried to stay as objective as possible in my reporting of conditions in Chililabombwe, but today was tough. I saw children my daughter's age who were ill and hungry, and the only comfort they have is a tiny bed surrounded by other sick children. I saw poor mothers trying to learn how to cook cheaply in order to provide basic nutrition for their children. The only ray of hope was the commitment of the community to do whatever it takes to provide for those who are unable to provide for themselves.
After our visit, we took the afternoon to visit the Chimfunsi Chimpanzee Orphanage. There are over 120 chimpanzees that have been rescued from mistreatment or poachers. We got to feed them bananas and learn some of their backgrounds. One chimp was taught to drink beer and smoke cigarettes before they arrived at the orphanage. They have a detox program (cold turkey) for these. They are training the chimps to reintegrate into their natural society, and are doing a great job.
There were some native monkeys roaming in the open, and one that has been tamed that took a liking to Will. He soon became a good friend, climbing on all of us, inspecting our shirt sleeves, and swinging on our arms.
Our tour finished with our visit to Billy the Hippo, raised at the orphanage since she was five weeks old. She's now over 16 years old. We caught her sleeping, and weren't able to get too close to her, but she was a marvel to behold.
I look forward to sharing thoughts with the community regarding our opportunities in Chililabombwe. I think there are ways where both of our towns can find mutual benefits through our relationship. I hope that you are proud of the vision of the city to see opportunities beyond our front yard (so to speak). I know I am.
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