More Hospital Tidbits

I have been pretty impressed with what Kudjip Nazarene Hospital can offer their patients.

1. We have HIV testing and ART treatment! They can follow CD4 counts and have the rapid test available. HIV is a problem here. They test pregnant mothers and have protocols to prevent mother to child transmission. Free testing is available to patients.
   
2. We offer PAP smears. Ok, so it might take a bit longer than it would in the US to get your results--like a month or two as the PAP smears are sent to Australia. Cervical cancer is another problem here. Two of the doctors perform LEEPs and colposcopies.
3. One of the doctors has taken a special interest talipes (clubfoot), and through a series of casting, tenotomy, and bracing has had pretty remarkable results (I will blog about that another time)
4. We are able to offer chemotherapy. I believe we have CHOP, but I will have to clarify that. We also have Gleevec for our CML patients (I believe they have around 14 currently).
5. We can do orthopedics here. I have much to learn about casting. You might this this is pretty basic, but we actually could not cast when I was in Africa.
6. The government, for all its shortcomings, is a bit advanced for its healthcare systems. (Note there are many many failings to what I am about to say) Each patient has a scale book, which basically is their medical record. It is nothing like a chart in the US, an outpatient visit may take up only 3-4 lines in the book or for that matter a hospital D/C. However it is a potential way to keep track of each patient's medical record.
7. On the same lines, the government has three standard treatment books (adults, peds, and OB). It is meant to standardized treatment for diseases and in theory the government pharmacies should carry any drug listed.
8. We can treat diabetes with insulin (you think that is simple, but again in Africa this was entirely not possible).