The Hospitals
"One hospital we visited, the Embangweni Mission hospital compound consists of several dozen terracotta-brick buildings and outer buildings surrounded by a terracotta-brick wall. Although the staff have told the community they need to keep the chickens out, there always seem to be a few hens clucking about on the grounds. Currently, Embangweni has about 130 beds plus mats for about 60 expectant mothers. Each inpatient, however, is typically accompanied by at least one and often two or three relatives. On average, the hospital has about 4500 to 5000 inpatient admissions each year and three times as many outpatient visits. That's not counting all the folks seen by the health centers and the mobile clinics. Being admitted to a hospital alone is practically unheard of. For one thing, there is no facility to serve meals, so relatives bring food and water (there is a bore hole on the compound). Nurses hand over pills to each patient's caregiver or guardian and watch as the medicine is swallowed with water drawn by the caregiver. As odd as the system seems, it works. Given the personnel shortage, it would be criminal to try to keep friends and relatives out. Its hospital policy to let one guardian sleep on the floor next to each patient. Others sleep outside the compound in the guardian shelter. Moms sleep with their children in the beds on the pediatric ward. Children six and up are admitted to the adult wards which isn't ideal and the Embangweni staff know it. There are plans for a new ward for kids 6-to-13 years old provided funding comes through, etc." -Christine Gorman
