Katia and I have just finished two of three weeks as UCLA
exchange medical students at the Central Hospital in Maputo, the capital of
Mozambique. So many stories to share and
I wish I could do so in person, but for now:
Our first week we
were on Lactentes, the infant
ward. Some of the rooms were quite
crowded, with two babies to a bed. Early
in the morning, we met Naomi, a six month old malnourished baby with HIV,
weighing only about 7 pounds. She had
developed severe pneumonia so we started mask breathing treatment. Later in the morning as we rounded on other
patients, the nurse rushed in. We
followed him to Naomi, whose heart had stopped, most likely because of poor
oxygenation. Dr. Emily began chest
compressions, as I tried to feel for pulse return. Naomi’s heart started beating again, but she
passed away later that night.
Resuscitating babies is one of the hardest things to do,
even at home. What made it harder here
was that Naomi’s heavy HIV burden, which made her very susceptible to
pneumonia, could have most likely been prevented, if she and her HIV+ positive
mother had access to adequate treatment around the time of her birth. Rates of babies acquiring HIV from mom drop
from 30% to less than 3% with proper treatment.
Why didn’t Naomi and her mom receive treatment? There are only 50 pediatricians in the country,
and given the civil war in the 1990s, education level of many mothers is still
poor; they don’t know what treatment to seek out.
***
Last week there was a big hoopla planned because the dean of
UCLA medical school was going to visit.
Though he didn’t make it, a vice dean and a pediatric surgeon that Katia
and I know very well came.
Representatives from the hospital, CDC, Mozambique’s Ministry of Health,
and US Ambassador descended on the pediatric hospital. We walked around the wards together and everyone
took pictures with a very cute baby that had undergone a complicated surgery
performed by UCLA- Mozambican doctors in collaboration. People from Anadarko, a Houston based company
that recently discovered a lot of natural gas in northern Mozambique, also came—they
are looking for philanthropic efforts to fund.
The entire visit captured a side of medical philanthropic business that
I have rarely seen, one that requires a lot of handshakes and smooth talking. It seems that as some younger, idealistic
doctors become more experienced, this is the way they see fit to make the most
impact for good. The thought of playing
a part in these formalities makes me uncomfortable, and I’m glad that I can
focus on something more black and white: learning good medicine.
***
Last, but I have to mention—on Friday we met Elena, a
lively, petite, Spanish nun who first came to Mozambique fifteen years
ago. She was asked to start a clinic in a
very poor area, Malhazine, where there were about 20,000 people without access
to healthcare. Since then, the clinic
has grown to include a maternity ward, vaccination services, and nutrition
support for children. She has just begun
a school for young children, a community garden that families work in exchange
for tuition and vegetables, and ten cottages for old people without family
right by the school! I was floored by
her energy and foresight.
Some photos below...thanks for your interest and thoughts-- I'm keeping you in mine. Be in touch-
Sunrise view from our apartment, overlooking Maputo bay and the Indian Ocean
Doctors on the infant ward...charting, the bane of every doctor's existence!
The treatment room where we resuscitated Naomi
Five year old class naptime at Elena's school...check out the little boy with the red sleeve up top. I hope other days he gets more mat real estate :)
Miss Amelia has no family and lives in one of Elena's cottages. She has a small garden out back by the school
From the right: Katia, Elena, Elena’s friend, Raul our driver
New friends...Alex checks out curious fish while Katia and Maria our host do yoga on the beach in Inhaca.
