Week 3

Week three began with two free days when we were supposed to be settling into our house BUT as I have told you we were not among the lucky ones so we spent the time reading and walking and visiting VSO's office and trying to think positively and prepare for work which began on Wednesday.

And start we did...the Rehab Disability people started at 6am with a visit to a Rehab Centre in Linden about 1.5 hours away from Georgetown, along the only tarred road there is. Beyond Linden it is a sand road!!!

We went with an Irish VSO OT who was working there that day. We were driven by Mr Jacobs, a Ministry driver, in air conditioned comfort stopping at an Amerindian village en route ,where Eddy, who you see above in his workshop, is making a Standing Frame from wood for a client in Linden. His workshop was well stocked with equipment and he had his own generator as this vVllage of Huaranini only has electricity for 3 hours per day!. He has done a good job so far and is now about to paint it. Paint, I might add, has to be specially made as it dries quickly in the heat but also has to cope with humidity - not an easy task. Much of it is still lethal stuff.

We then hit the Upper Demerara Hospital Complex which is situated on both sides of the Demerara River. We spent most time in the Wisbar Hospital where you see a stroke rehab group at work (above). This hospital has the larger department but is inaccessible for most clients as it has no bus route and it costs a lot to come by car or taxi. As in Malawi, transportation is again one of the barriers to good health care. The clients you see above are brought once a month (yes a month) to the department for treatment by the Lions Club - none of them could afford to get there under their own steam . How it does any good without frequent follow up I do not know but they enjoy the outing and one hopes they do the upgraded exercises at home during the month. They all seem to be progressing though slowly.

I began my work by interviewing three Rehab Assistants and the Head, and only, Physiotherapist in the whole of Region 10 - a huge area.

The Mackenzie Hospital is on the other side of the river and is much smaller but has many more clients as it is accessible by bus. The good news is that a brand new State of the Art Hospital is being built and has started next to this old hospital and it is anticipated that a great improvement in service will then occur - slated for 2007 but more likely to be completed in 2008!

Linden used to be a very affluent area because of the Bauxite mining which unfortunately has taken a nose dive on the international markets in recent years. Huge houses were built and a rich ex pat lifestyle was enjoyed by many, including the Physiotherapist who worked at the Bauxite Company's own hospital. She worked there until the company was sold when she returned, on contract, to the Ministry of Health.

The Bauxite Company has been bought by the Russians and appears to be operating again. How this will work out I do not know as I couldn't find out exactly what they are doing there now but if it makes jobs for local Guyanese that has to be good - for the moment anyway.