A big hello to all of our loved ones back home!
It has been a stretching and adventurous time in Tamale since we were last able to update our blog. We have begun our first week at Tamale Teaching Hospital.Between the 13 of us we are working on labour and delivery, NICU, emergency, ICU, pediatrics, surgical, medical, and gynecology wards.While we are thoroughly enjoying being back in the hospital, we are struck by the prevalence of suffering amidst the beautiful Ghanaian people. We are astounded by the strength and courage our patients demonstrate during their time in the hospital. Many go without pain medication, travel long distances (we see patients who have come from Togo and Burkina Faso), and make do with limited access to resources, which back home we take for granted. The resourcefulness of the nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals amazes us. Many patients access the hospital services without health insurance, and thus must pay for all medications supplies, procedures, and generalized care. If the patient is unable to pay for these services, they often go without. It is something we are all struggling to witness. It's hard to process holding a baby who will likely not survive the night or knowing that someone will die from an infection that could have been prevented given the proper care. Words can not express how we feeling right now, but it is times like these that bring us together as a group. We are so thankful for all the support we are receiving from all of you back home!
On a happier note, we spent the weekend touring Tamale and spending our Sunday day-tripping to Kintempo Falls. It was a joyous day spent singing, laughing, and slip n sliding! It is always an adventure traveling the Ghanaian roads - dodging pot-holes, motorbikes, goats, falling yams, and women with pails of various merchandise piled high on their heads.
Today we were overjoyed to receive our bikes from Bikes for Humanity. Somehow all 13 of us made it back to the guesthouse alive after surviving our first bike tour on the Ghanaian roads. It was a blast.
Shout out to Kym's family (Tyson McMullen). You are a wonderful gem. We have thoroughly been enjoying your weekly treats! You are the best.
Much love to all.
Ghana Gals
Good morning/Good evening, Ghana UBCO Student Nurses (and your wonderful teachers too!),
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to start reading your stories about your nursing experiences in Tamale. You are so right that it is hard to witness inequities - but yet it is so important that we honestly witness and share them, rather than distance ourselves from them, if we ever hope to become the global citizens that we could and should be.
You have a great opportunity to make a difference, and however small your individual nursing contributions may feel in the face of such deep unfairness, you can make that difference and be part of making a better world. So please keep witnessing - and processing - and sharing with us back home, so that we can become better global citizens with you.
Onwards,
Tricia