Today was the much anticipated and also dreaded clinic day. As part of our time at Arrow web in Kayole they had asked that we do a free clinic for the people of Kayole. Thank you to our sponsors who enabled us to buy the medications and materials needed for the day. Although I was really excited to be involved I was also scared about how and what I could possibly do for these people with my limited amount of training. What I found is that anything you can do is worth doing. Even if you believe this to be minimal you will find that it can make huge changes in people lives and also indirectly the lives of others.

Today I started the day with a little apprehension but also full of excitement. In the end I saw around 60 patients. Some with quite normal complaints like viral illnesses that plague us all. However, there were patients that had quite disabling infections that had put up with the limited health care that they could afford on their minimal budget. This is where the apprehension subsided. I realised that many of the patients would never of had the opportunity to seek medical advice and also receive medication. Little do they know they also assisted me in improving my own knowledge. I was able to perform a clinical examination and then with the assistance of a local medical officer make a diagnosis and give the patient their medication.

I had seen so many patients and some of these were quite complex and had not seen a doctor or anyone medical or a very long time. However, as always there were people that were there to take advantage of the free clinic and medication day. This is reasonable and something I would do to if I was also in that situation. It was also an opportunity to give people some information about their health and how to prevent the illness in the future.

All up I really enjoyed the day and I believe we really served the public of Kayole well. I really feel privileged to be a part of the experience and something I will remember for ever.

Jumbo Australia, at the moment is 850am on Thursday the 30^th of June. I have been in Kenya now almost a week. We have been doing a lot and the time we have is jam packed with stuff to do. Clinically, I have spent one day in the hospital in Kayole and today is day two for me at Arrow Web Kayole. Yesterday I was at Urafiki, a small community and family medical facility that is run by a lovely Italian family. They have been in Kenya now for more than thirty years but have recently moved out to Ulturoto to provide their service to this rural community. At both the hospital and at Urafiki, most patients present with similar complaints and diseases. These include Typhoid, Malaria, Brucellosis, and common respiratory complaints.

Don’t be too jealous of the summer weather that you would expect in Africa. It is currently winter over here and a lot colder than I had imagined with the temp dropping over night to about 14 to 15 degrees. This has increased the frequency of respiratory complaints in the same way winter effects home in the patients I have seen. It has also been good to really get to become accustomed to actual clinical pathology.

I have really enjoyed the hospitality of the people in Kenya. They have been very helpful in every way and I have felt comfortable with everyone I have met. I am also learning a lot from the staff about tropical illness, their presentation and also the treatment.

Outside of the hospital environment we have been staying at Kickstart Kids International’s new site at Ulturoto (like them on facebook to see regular updates).  The site is a 10 min drive from the main road and this has put us in the true rural setting of Kenya. This has been an experience of a life time and enables me to truly see the way that the Kenyans live in these areas. The landscape reminds me a lot of the Australian outback in a way with is dry land and dusty roads. However, you are constantly reminded that you are on the other side of the world when you encounter a Dazzle of Zebra (yes dazzle is a group of zebra) whilst cleaning your teeth.

Over the weekend we will be conducting a medical clinic in Kayole and then heading off on Safari in Amboseli National Park. I then have another week in the hospitals at both Arrow Web Kayole and Rafiki Ultoroto. I hope everything is going well back home and like Kick start Kids international on facebook so you can have a look at the photos that we have been able to upload and it also where I will leave regular updates. Must go now see if any patients have come in this morning and see what I can learn.

Asante, Reid

This is Reid’s new blog