Nippon to Timor-Leste
Monday, 9 August 2010 WW II 50 million dead. Pearl Harbor 3000 fatalities. East Timor 1942-1945 under Japanese occupation 50,000 dead. Hiroshima August 6, 1945 80,000 incinerated. History all, but have we learned anything? Consider the on going Japanese assistance to BPC including funds, vehicles, medicines, materials, doctors, nurses, med students since 1999. This makes possible trips like yesterday's.
Two hours over what are euphemistically called "roads" into the mountains. Long lines of villagers patiently waiting to be seen. Toby, final year UK med student, does his best to see and screen. Gleaned from the cohort and transported back to BPC were the following:
- A TB patient with hemoptysis.
- A 2 year old weighing 6 kg including 2+ ankle edema. No longer bothering to cry this child would challenge even the best of hospitals.
- A 23 year old woman, breast feeding her small infant, with 2 months of weight loss, fever and chills. On exam her left ventricle seemed to have just completed a marathon. Pericardial friction rub, S3, MS and MI. Where is Dr Osler when you need him?
All admitted and treatment begun. Good work Toby. Drag your weary body home for some peaceful classical music. Wait, isn't that the phone…?
Dr Dan Murphy is the head physician at Bairo Pite Clinic