It’s been an eventful week the main focus has been on getting my license here, with the Change in Provincial Medical Director and permanent Secretary it been complicated. Last I heard I’d get a letter of permission on March 17 (after I was supposed to do clinic) so was planning to adapt my schedule but just heard from my partners that the ministry might have come through and given me permission. I’ll check today. Organized to meet with the PMD of Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North when we are in Bulawayo (Monday 7) also connected with Mr. Garwe and Mr. Mangwende and they are enthusiastic about the community Health Worker approach. We hope to meet with their board at the end of March. I have organized clinics at CTT (Wed/Thur next week) Sr. Maravanyka will bring 5 other nurses and do the wellness checks for the 450 children at CTT. If I have my license I will support that.
We coordinated with Susan and met with the nurses from Norton and Community Health Workers, they will be there for the week next week and I will support them, again, if I have my license. Alison has connected with a pharmacist and we are in process of getting supplies for the clinics.
The highlight for has been meeting with the UZ registrars and Prof. Conradie as well as the program director of the UZ Family Medicine program (Dr. Chigonda) They are having a 3 day seminar-I spent the day with them yesterday and on my way back today.
They have had significant attrition and currently have 1 second year and 5 First year residents Faculty is a challenge, as well as finances, for these docs. They to travel from the rural hospitals to the program and lose income that they could generate from other activities. I raised the possibility of a stipend for the registrars as a way to keep them in the program and linked to them applying for faculty. I am exploring this with them but I think the University would be amenable.
Alison has been working on scoping out the welding workshop at Rasper and will be coordinating with Play action. There is a site for a playground close to the school.
In addition, Alison and I have been scouting water well options. There have been a number of people coming to Rasper from an area 5 k away with Diarrhoeal illness. We hope to visit and see about a well there next week. The cost will likely be around 5k for a deep well with pump and tank and a few hundred for a hand dig lined well.
