September camps 2007

An eventful month with three medical camps in the inner creeks, further collaboration with a large Nigerian led eye camp, and preparation underway to open our first rural community clinic base, donated by the Delta State Government to whom we are most grateful.

The impassive expression of the blind, booked for cataract surgery this coming November.

With the establishment of our base at Inekorogha community, september camps were located here and in the surrounding tiny creeks that are only accessible by motorised boat in the rainy seasons when the water rise by almost ten feet. We chose three isolated creeks that are passable for maybe as little as two months a year, small fishing communities with subsistence farms. The village 'visitors' book in one community had its last entry dated 2002. We visited Orugbene, Ogudama and Orere.

Poverty, isolation and transportation difficulties meant these communities had more than their fair share of chronic debiltating diseases.

Many of these conditions cannot be treated by an occassional visitation and the establishment of a rural clinic has been critical to provide continuity of care. Whilst more specialised surgery may be indicated for some, many patients can be given medication for a month and are encouraged to return to the clinic by canoe for review and follow up. Education and motivation are therefore central  

No child had received immunisation and again with a proper cold chain for vaccines from the clinic we will start a campaign in November  with the community elders mobilising the people over the next six weeks.

Over 500 patients were treated in these three camps, barely scratching at the surface of the appalling problems that beset these isolated villages.

Simple injuries such as burns and accidents can have devastating effects with an early abcess arising in this boy's eye and spreading infection from a childs burn. Ready access to medical care can prevent progression to often life threatening complications. A young woman was brought to a camp with advanced septicaemia and bronchopneumonia from a septic abortion two weeks previously. Despite antibiotics , IV therapy and supportive measures she died, her mother watching on. Treated early we would expect a quick and full recovery, but delay to get to town , lack of transportation and funds, plus often dubious practices creates a delay that is tragically so often fatal.

Wound care and antibiotics saw a full recovery for this eye injury and the mother of this infant was taught how to clean the burns , dress the bare areas and administer antibiotics, whilst ensuring the bedding was cleaned daily. All basic measures that make the difference between a full recovery and devastating complications.