Week 10 – Home Based Care

The 10th week was a challenging one for me (Hanna). On Tuesday I would find myself saying goodbye to Julia and trying my best to complete the rest of the work which had been started. Luckily I had the support of my local team and of the previous medical students who were already back home. When facing difficult decisions, I could always rely on their feedback.

On Monday Gasto and I would take Raizon (the boy with cerebral palsy from Msitu Wa Tembo) to the Gabriella Children Rehabiliation Center (GCRC) for an evaluation. The center provided 5 days of free stay to Raizon and his grandmother. The evaluation was done by a pediatrician, physiotherapist and an occupational therapist. 

On Friday we would pick him up and take him back to Msitu Wa Tembo. We arranged another free evaluation week for Raizon, but in the meantime, the center emphasized the need of having a check-up in the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in order to rule out some diseases. On Friday we were accompanied by Paula, another volunteer who would continue the case after I had left. She was the best help.

 Raizon enjoying the walking device given by the Gabriella Rehabilitation Centre. On the picture you can also recognize the bibi (grandma) and Gasto.

Meanwhile, in addition to the rehabilitation centre, the main energy was also focused for the preparations of the third home-based care caravan which would happen on Saturday. Gasto, Veronica and I revisited all of the patients previously examined by Miranda. We tried to learn from our previous mistakes and to improve our work. Walking around the sun and trying to identify the patients was physically very exhausting, but regular lunch breaks in Veronica’s house saved us.

On Thursday we would meet with Dr Jackson and present the patients we had interviewed. Together we tried to predict the drugs needed for the caravan day and discussed the follow-up possibilities for some previous HBC patients.

On Saturday was the big day – the third HBC caravan. Everything was nearly perfect and by far my favorite day in Tanzania. Our calculations and efforts had been worth it. We managed to cover 15 patients in from 9.30 to 16.30. We worked efficiently and quickly on the field. It was perfect team work. I loved organizing every step of the caravan, however, there are still several issues to be addressed with this kind of intervention.  

HBC III. In the front (from the left) Dr Jackson, Godfrey, Hanna. In the back (from the left): Veronica and Rose.