Bawtry Evangelical Free Church
Extracts from Dr. Gordon’s Uganda Diary
An African Diary
01.05(or as it now is 03.05 Ugandan time) 37,000 ft over Sudan.
Should be over Dafur anytime now—thankfully out of range of the RP6's of the SLA and the Islamic militia.
I'm tired but can't sleep. What have I let myself in for??
What use is a middle aged ,middle class middle English GP to the sick of Central Africa?
Medical Tourism ?, Voyeurism?,Playing Or?—What are we doing?
Enjoyed the Film—Wallace and Grommit
01.05(or as it now is 03.05 Ugandan time) 37,000 ft over Sudan.
Should be over Dafur anytime now—thankfully out of range of the RP6's of the SLA and the Islamic militia.
I'm tired but can't sleep. What have I let myself in for??
What use is a middle aged ,middle class middle English GP to the sick of Central Africa?
Medical Tourism ?, Voyeurism?,Playing Or?—What are we doing?
Enjoyed the Film—Wallace and Grommit
Now then why did I volunteer for this??? Bit of adventure? An unbelievable insight into real African medicine? A look at what we'll be doing with the Robertsons in 10 years? Anyway not much to lose, l hope! Hope Rainee and the boys don't miss me too much.
05.50
10 mins to land. Just finished attempt to read about Diarrhoea [lecture notes in Tropical Medicine].Overwhelming [possibly literally!]—all the usual stuff, plus a list as long as your arm—and I'll be stunned if Diagnostic facilities are much of a help.
05.50
10 mins to land. Just finished attempt to read about Diarrhoea [lecture notes in Tropical Medicine].Overwhelming [possibly literally!]—all the usual stuff, plus a list as long as your arm—and I'll be stunned if Diagnostic facilities are much of a help.
Day 3 0930 Here we go!
• First patient was a kid of about 12 who had swallowed some sort of coffee seed and was complaining about his throat. Myself and Martin who was with me at this point as he was talking Ok and breacthing fine and had no chest signs that nothing needed to be done that he could go home - easy this medicine isn't it?
• Next was woman with malaria ?? Aching and hot so admitted as malaria.
• One day old child with spina bifda. Mum (via translator) said that she had been sent from Bwera hospital to Kagando as they couldn't do anything there (Can we here?) Admitted to Paediatric ward but for what purpose I am not quite sure.
• Someone had a cough for 6 months and it was felt that TB was likely. Unfortunately the hospital's X-Ray machine had been out of action for many months.
• First patient was a kid of about 12 who had swallowed some sort of coffee seed and was complaining about his throat. Myself and Martin who was with me at this point as he was talking Ok and breacthing fine and had no chest signs that nothing needed to be done that he could go home -
• Next was woman with malaria ?? Aching and hot so admitted as malaria.
• One day old child with spina bifda. Mum (via translator) said that she had been sent from Bwera hospital to Kagando as they couldn't do anything there (Can we here?) Admitted to Paediatric ward but for what purpose I am not quite sure.
• Someone had a cough for 6 months and it was felt that TB was likely. Unfortunately the hospital's X-
