5th July 2013

TRAINING DAY 2

0630: Breakfast
0730: Depart GSS and Faith Hotels
0900-0930: Setup (PARTIAL)
0930-1600: Tooth Camp/Training
1200-1230: Lunch
1600: Packup(PARTIAL)
1630: Depart site
1800: Arrive GSS and Faith Hotels
1900: Brief and Debrief at GSS Hotel followed by dinner
Evening: Free time

So for the first time in my life I woke up forgetting it was my birthday.  I have just totally immersed myself into the whole experience.  The culture, language, patients, work, food - the programme is full on.

 

 

Language barrier was an obvious challenge I could foresee us having to overcome – sometimes it was difficult to know if the COs have really understood what you’ve asked them or what you’ve told them.  They  try to be very nice and say yes to everything so sometimes when you feel they haven’t understood you had to put it in a different way or get them to talk it back to you to make sure they have understood. To help us with this we had basic words, sentences, medical histories taped all over the walls in the clinic so that we could refer to them whenever in need, which was most of the time to be honest.

 

 

 

MEDICAL HISTORY
Please inform the Dentist if your answer to any of the following questions is "yes" or "no":

1. Are you taking any medicines/pills/cream?
2. Do you suffer from HIV or AIDS?
3. Do you suffer from any heart disease/high or low blood pressure?
Do you bleed for a long time after a tooth removed or if you cut a finger?
5. Do you have any allergy to antibiotics/local anaesthetic?
6. Have you ever suffered from Hepatits?
7. Do you ever suffer from fainting?
8. Have you ever suffered from TB or chronic coughing?
9. Do you ever get breathless/chest pain?
10.  Have you had any surgery in  the past?
11. Do you have diabetes?
12. Have you ever recieved dental treatment?

HISTORIA YA AFYA
Tafadhali mjulishe mganga wa meno kama jibu ni "ndiyo" au "hapana" kwa swali lolte kwa haya yafuatayo.

1. Unatumia dawa zozote/vidonge/krimu?
2. Una tatizo la virusi vya ukimwi?
3. Una ugonjwa wowote wa moyo/shinikizo la damu/kupanda au kushuka?
4. Unatokwa na damu nyingi ukijikata au kung'olewa jino?
5. Unaathiriwa nadawa yoyote au ganzi?
6. Umewahi kupata homa ya manjano/Hepatits?
7. Una kifafa au kuzimia?
8. Una kifua kikuu au kikohozi sugu?
9. Una shida ya kupumua au maumivu ya kifua?
10. Umewahi kulazwa hositali ndani ya miaka miwili iliyopita?
11. Una kisukari?
12. Umesha wahi kutibiwa jino?


After a long, successfull day and 151 patiets later it was back to the hotels for a traditional Tanzanian dinner.  Ugali is the most traditional dish and is made out of corn flour. You eat it with your hands and dip it in whatever 'sauce.  It similar to polenta, quite plain tasting and needs to be eaten hot otherwise its like eating cold bland mashed potato  - but not as nice...

The team then had a wee birthday treat in store for me, knowing that I was a gin and tonic fan they got me the closest thing to it - Konyagi ("Tanzanian alcohol" and I still don't really know whats in it to this day?!) and soda water. Not forgetting that heavenly bag of revels, which didn't even see the next day and signed card from everyone in the team.  A perfect end to a perfect birthday.

Those of us who stayed in Faith hotel took the celebrations back with us and had one last night cap before bed(G&T this time with tonic water).  Think I shocked the guys a little when I went into the local shop on the hunt for apples and emerged with these little dudes....nomnomnom or not!