Whirlwind

The third and fourth weeks of  training has been a whirlwind! It started out with a long walk to visit the hospital of Namaancha. Yes, a long walk. After about thirty five minutes of walking UP hill I realized why because we were passing a street of very nice homes. My instructor politely informed me that this neighborhood 40 years ago was where the Portuguese colonizers lived, hence the hospital was just a few away. I immediately calculated that the ill people living at the other end - down the hills- would take close to an hour walk to get to the hospital. When I thought of pregnant woman my blood pressure rose.

Honestly, touring the hospital was a tad difficult, especially since I'm familiar to the state of the art Danbury Hospital. This is not only a bit of a culture shock, it is was a shock economically that this country faces.  Politically the health care system - although limited- is free (some medicine has an out of pocket expense equal to less than thirty cents). The country is very limited in Doctors, this hospital has just two. Technicians also were on duty serving at least two hundred patients.

The hospital has one small building to sign in, emergency care, a pharmacy, an analysis. Equipment and supplies are so limited that I needed to look at the sign out side of the door to differentiate.  The other main services that are offered have separate buildings    Gynecology ,Dental, Malaria, Maternity, and HIV/AIDS treatment, seemed to be the primary services that this hospital treated.  Mental health is also served by a  patient's visit to a consultant -  alcoholism, is in this unit.
This town is being visited by a  circumcision truck, yes, children from 10-18 are lining up get the surgery.  This seems to be a rite of passage traditionally but it is also promoted to reduce the risk of HIV. In more rural areas there is a ceremony and the circumcision are done for many boys  by a trained leader/elder of the area.

We also visited a "curandero"

who delivers traditional medicine. I'm reminded of the American Indian medicine man. In Mozambique  this man has "been called" by a spiritual voice.   There also seems to be fake ones marketing their services in the cities. The curanders provides three opportunities: medical healing with homeopathic medicines, spiritual counseling by calling on deceased relatives, and a very popular practice of reading the shells and sending your wish to external forces.  These wishes  vary from getting a job, or becoming famous to cursing a neighbor for stealing a chicken or a jealous wife wanting her husband's new girlfriend to have a painful delivery in childbirth.
I was trying to understand the validity of the curandero among the locals, well the verdict is still out on this topic.   I interviewed 4 people to get an inside view. It was so interesting to hear the responses when asked if they thought he was credible; two thought that he was satanic, two viewed that he was a source that could be needed. Not one has ever visited, although it has been said that there are appointments in the evening so they are not seen. There is also a fear that if they can't pay then a curse will be placed on them or their family. Interesting, huh?
 My Peace Corp assignment will be working with a local hospital during educational outreach for HIV prevention therefore it is  beneficial for me to remain objective about the services of the curandero. With this perspective the curandero might by a good outreach partner for health workshops.
Don't worry I'll wear garlic.