Too many cooks?

Thursday October 21st

Spent a first morning in the hospital firstly on the male medical ward There aren’t a huge number of patients at present and quite a few expat visitors with 2 doctors just finished FY2 and another completed GP training who are from Brighton and here for a couple of weeks more. Then I went to help out with the diabetic clinic as the doctor who normally does this is away in Kampala. People seem to be called back every 4 weeks on the whole which seems rather excessive! This maybe an area where things could be effectively modified and free up some doctor time. There was a choice of 2 insulins, soluble and lente. Mixtard which most of the insulin dependent patients are on is out of stock at present. Seems to be quite a common problem Too much sugar cane and too many sodas I suspect.

This afternoon has been quiet. Just one new male admission a man with Motor Neurone Disease for whom not much can be done. Diagnostic facilities are limited. There have been no xray facilities for several weeks as a rat got into the transformer and died there causing a short circuit(!) which has blown out one of the circuit boards which they have been struggling to replace from Kampala. Some blood tests available (blood count HIV testing syphylis testing and widal tests for typhoid) but no biochemistry. Overall an interesting but quietish first day.