Thursday, November 22, 2012

Senanga.

I survived my first trip in the field.  Barely.  Okay, so it wasn’t quite that dramatic but it certainly was an adventure.  I wasn’t sure what to expect going into the week but, well, I don't even know if there are words.  On our first day after we met with staff from the District Health Office we set out to visit our first health center (and in case you are wondering the difference between a health center and a health post is simply the level of services offered).  After disembarking from the tar road maybe 20 or 30km from the town of Senanga on what didn’t even look like a path in the sand we started making our way to the health center.  I commented that I would have never been able to find this center again if my life depended on it (as we were bouncing through the bush on an incredibly sandy path – imagine driving along the ocean on beach type sand...except sandier).  There was a moment of silence and then everyone started laughing.  “This isn’t remote!"  was the comment from my peers. “We are barely in the bush.”  Little did I know how right they were…

The next several days were spent being thrown around in a Land Cruiser (thank goodness we were in a vehicle with 4 wheel drive) as we visited these rural health centers and posts.  One day we traveled over 10 hours and we only made it to 2 centers.  And, yet, when we would get to these centers there would be people lined up waiting to receive medical services or get their HIV drugs (most having walked for hours or sometimes days).  It was truly a humbling experience.  These centers provide a lifeline for the Zambians who live in these rural communities.  I am still contemplating what it would mean to live such a remote existence.  I don’t know that I can even begin to imagine even after having a very, very limited view into what life is like through my Peace Corps service in South Africa.  It doesn’t even compare to what I've seen so far.

I have a few pictures which I've put up if you'd like to take a look although they don't really do it justice.  The one of the man holding a lizard like creature is my favorite.  We just ran into him in the middle of the bush - he was herding some cows and had killed this creature and was planning on making a meal of it - yummy.

https://plus.google.com/photos/108740867339265842929/albums/5813573151092235217

(I'm having some trouble with my pictures link to the right...hopefully the link above will work!)

Speaking of meals, I hope everyone is enjoying a Thanksgiving meal surrounded by friends and family today.  While I am not officially celebrating I am thinking of you all (and I must admit I wish I was eating some tofurkey and pie).  Alas, I will have to settle for nshima and veggies.  

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

New Job.


It’s really just like any other new job.  For the most part, I am feeling a bit lost and unsure of myself but terribly overeager.  I want to make a good impression but am not really sure how to impress anyone yet other than to show up on time (on my trusty bike wearing my fabulously trendy bike helmet which causes me to stand out even more than I already do as the only white person in town because no one wears a helmet but the kids seem to like me in any form really so I suppose it doesn’t matter), read countless reports and documents, ask many annoying questions and help out in any small way I can.  But, I can’t tell you how good it feels to just be working again!  I’m in an office with other people who are all quite good at what they do?!  How can I not love my job and feel very lucky even if I am mostly just trying to figure out the difference between a health post and a health center.  

Anyway, I’ll be leaving Mongu this weekend to participate in my first M&E (monitoring and evaluation) trip with my fellow PPHLO (this is my newly appointed title which stands for Provincial Public Health Logistics Officer).  We are going to be visiting Senanga District which is to the South of Mongu.  There are 7 Districts in Mongu (soon to be 8) and I am learning that some of them are quite remote and challenging to travel to (we have to use a pontoon boat to cross over into some of the more remote areas!) but I believe Senanga isn’t too far removed – we’ll see.  We will be visiting the District Health Office and then throughout the week we will be going to rural health centers (and health posts, I presume) to check the supply of HIV drugs and other health commodities at each center.  I am looking forward to learning more about my new role as well as getting to see additional parts of the Western Province.
These are the 7 Districts in the Western Province (they will soon be dividing Sesheke District into two separate Districts).
And, dare I say, congratulations America!  Welcome back, Obama.