EQUIPMENT FOR HOSPITALS IN PATI AND DEMAK

HOSPITAL DIRECTOR IN DEMAK, DR NUNUK AND EILEEN

WATER TREATMENT IN BACK OF HOSPITAL

PREEMIE BABY IN ISOLETTE

RADIOLOGIST WITH 20 YEAR OLD XRAY MACHINE, HUMANITARIAN FUNDS WILL BE USED TO BE A NEW MACHINE

EILEEN MISSES HER GRANDKIDS

OLD LAB MACHINE WE ARE REPLACING WITH HUMANITARIAN FUNDS

We visited two hospitals that are operated by the NU.   This is the large Islamic organization we have referred to in our earlier post.  We felt very welcome at both hospitals. They probably don't get a lot of foreign visitors.   Both hospitals are in a rural area.  I (Eileen) was impressed at the cleanliness of both hospitals.  When I mentioned this, the director of housekeeping who was at our meeting had a huge smile on her face.  

The reason for our visit was to talk about the donation of equipment that our church will be giving.  At one hospital we are going to be giving a new x-ray machine.  We took a tour of the hospital.  When I saw the x-ray machine we were replacing, I understood the need for a new one.  It was old and well used.  The "cassettes", I believe we call the cartridges, were 20 years old, as was the machine.  They were delighted when we asked if they would like some new cassettes to go with the machine they would be receiving.

When we visited the emergency room a 60 year old man had just passed away.  It was uncomfortable  for us, we felt as if we were infringing on a very tender moment as his family was gathered around him mourning. He had passed away of a heart attack on a local bus.  But even if it had happened in the hospital it may have not turned out any different as they have no defibrillator in the emergency room.  That is on our list to donate to them next year.  It would be a frustrating experience for a doctor to be in.  I looked at their medications for resuscitation and they looked pretty complete, but you can only work with the equipment you have.

The second hospital we went to was receiving some new lab equipment (again about 20 years old), a defibrillator and 3 monitors.  In the emergency room a woman was very, very ill.  She had come in after having an appendectomy and looked like she was septic. Hopefully, they were able to take care of the situation. She didn't look very old to me.  It gave me motivation to make sure they get the equipment we have promised to them ASAP.

This hospital has also requested help with waste fluid management.  Local regulations are getting stricter here just like in the US.  So, the hospital is working on getting some bids to upgrade their waste water treatment.  While viewing the current waste treatment system, Eileen and the locals were concerned that Russell was going to fall into one of the treatment pools.

The thing that really impressed me (Eileen) with both hospitals is that they were really doing their best with what they had.  Everything was very clean and the nurses and doctors seemed well educated.  The medical director for the second hospital, Dr. Nunuk, and I seemed to form an instant friendship.  Maybe I just needed some "girl time" after spending two days traveling in a car with three men but it sure felt good to talk with another woman about my same age with a common medical background.