On our way back from a busy day at Valeska, but on the Usa River side of Kwaugoro a woman carrying her baby held out her hand in the way of begging for a lift.
As she climbed into the Toyota, I warned her to be careful of the baby's head because the child was still on her back and I feared that it was easy to misjudge the door frame.
The woman politely thanked us for the lift and told us that the baby was sick with malaria and she was going to the hospital at Usa River.
I could see that the baby was less than a year old and the wee tot was perspiring with fever.
Had we not found her, this young woman was faced with a walk of at least three hours, which would mean that she would arrive in Usa River after dark. It just shows the difficulties rural Tanzania had at that time. It was lucky for her that we were not returning home through Kikatiti, which would mean that we would never have seen her.
The woman wanted to go to the small Catholic Hospital just outside Usa River, so I pulled into the yard there and dropped her off.
Other than the natural concern for the welfare of the baby, I gave the incident little thought but at home I realized (or came to understand) the woman's plight.
I didn't know if the woman had money or not. Hospitals do not provide food for patients, that is up to the patient's family. The woman had no other place to sleep other than the yard at the hospital and it could be cool at night. I did not know if she could share a bed with the baby.
I was going to Ngarenanyuki the next day, so I called into the hospital to find that the baby was being treated properly and the mother had enough money to buy food and 'get by'.
I told her that the next day I would be taking materials to Valeska so, I would call in and take them back to her village if they were ready.
The woman and her baby were ready, so they accompanied me back to her village. The baby though not fully recovered was quite well. I had bought half a kilo of beef and gave it to them 'to make soup for mother and baby' to help gain strength.
A few days later, I called back at their house to find the baby had fully recovered and I gave them fruit trees, to add vitamin C to their diet. I occasionally called in over the following years and was pleased to see the guava had fruited and were being eaten - each time the woman thanked me for the ride to and from the hospital.
As she climbed into the Toyota, I warned her to be careful of the baby's head because the child was still on her back and I feared that it was easy to misjudge the door frame.
The woman politely thanked us for the lift and told us that the baby was sick with malaria and she was going to the hospital at Usa River.
I could see that the baby was less than a year old and the wee tot was perspiring with fever.
Had we not found her, this young woman was faced with a walk of at least three hours, which would mean that she would arrive in Usa River after dark. It just shows the difficulties rural Tanzania had at that time. It was lucky for her that we were not returning home through Kikatiti, which would mean that we would never have seen her.
The woman wanted to go to the small Catholic Hospital just outside Usa River, so I pulled into the yard there and dropped her off.
Other than the natural concern for the welfare of the baby, I gave the incident little thought but at home I realized (or came to understand) the woman's plight.
I didn't know if the woman had money or not. Hospitals do not provide food for patients, that is up to the patient's family. The woman had no other place to sleep other than the yard at the hospital and it could be cool at night. I did not know if she could share a bed with the baby.
I was going to Ngarenanyuki the next day, so I called into the hospital to find that the baby was being treated properly and the mother had enough money to buy food and 'get by'.
I told her that the next day I would be taking materials to Valeska so, I would call in and take them back to her village if they were ready.
The woman and her baby were ready, so they accompanied me back to her village. The baby though not fully recovered was quite well. I had bought half a kilo of beef and gave it to them 'to make soup for mother and baby' to help gain strength.
A few days later, I called back at their house to find the baby had fully recovered and I gave them fruit trees, to add vitamin C to their diet. I occasionally called in over the following years and was pleased to see the guava had fruited and were being eaten - each time the woman thanked me for the ride to and from the hospital.
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After a busy day in the Ngarenanyuki are, we stopped at a small bar in Olkung'wago to have a chapati and bottle of Coca Cola . It was hot and dust and we had not had any fluid intake all day.
As we waited for the chapati to arrive, a man came to us saying that there was a sick woman at the clinic and that we were requested to take the woman to the clinic at Ngongongare.
I replied we would be going after our lunch and told him to have the woman wait at our car. The clinic at Ngongongare is run by the Seventh Day Adventist, and is small, so I supposed that the woman did not have much wrong with her - perhaps she just needed a lift.
The woman was heavily pregnant and I could see that she was in some pain. She travelled alone with us which was not usual as often other family members travel with the sick to offer support.
In the back seat, the woman sat uncomfortably and moaned softly. I had some worries in the back of my mind that she may give birth there and then, so I joked lightly to her that I was no doctor. She just smiled at me in the rear vision mirror. With each bump in the road, I could see the pain in her face and I slowed to make the ride more comfortable for her.
I dropped her off outside the the clinic and took Loti to his home. On the way back, a man tried to flag me down as I passed the clinic and I nearly did not stop, because when I was tired, I often just preferred my own company.
I did stop and it was the medical officer. He told me that the woman had a medical condition (the term I can not remember) but when I looked at him quizzically he told me the arm of her baby was hanging out and she needed urgent hospital treatment.
I felt ashamed that I had made her walk from the Ngarenanyuki clinic to the Olkung'wado bar and that I had joked with her. Nobody had told me how serious the condition of this woman was and I was sorry I had not checked.
I thought it too late to rush, but as the road improves from Ngongongare it is possible to travel faster and I did. I took the woman into Arusha to Mt Meru Hospital, arriving just on dark.
The hospital staff were quick to react when I told them what had happened, and I still see the face of that scared woman as I left her alone there.
The woman survived the ordeal but of course the baby did not. I heard from the Medical Officer at Ngarenanyuki that the woman had returned safely to her village and was back to full health.
After a busy day in the Ngarenanyuki are, we stopped at a small bar in Olkung'wago to have a chapati and bottle of As we waited for the chapati to arrive, a man came to us saying that there was a sick woman at the clinic and that we were requested to take the woman to the clinic at Ngongongare.
I replied we would be going after our lunch and told him to have the woman wait at our car. The clinic at Ngongongare is run by the Seventh Day Adventist, and is small, so I supposed that the woman did not have much wrong with her - perhaps she just needed a lift.
The woman was heavily pregnant and I could see that she was in some pain. She travelled alone with us which was not usual as often other family members travel with the sick to offer support.
In the back seat, the woman sat uncomfortably and moaned softly. I had some worries in the back of my mind that she may give birth there and then, so I joked lightly to her that I was no doctor. She just smiled at me in the rear vision mirror. With each bump in the road, I could see the pain in her face and I slowed to make the ride more comfortable for her.
I dropped her off outside the the clinic and took Loti to his home. On the way back, a man tried to flag me down as I passed the clinic and I nearly did not stop, because when I was tired, I often just preferred my own company.
I did stop and it was the medical officer. He told me that the woman had a medical condition (the term I can not remember) but when I looked at him quizzically he told me the arm of her baby was hanging out and she needed urgent hospital treatment.
I felt ashamed that I had made her walk from the Ngarenanyuki clinic to the Olkung'wado bar and that I had joked with her. Nobody had told me how serious the condition of this woman was and I was sorry I had not checked.
I thought it too late to rush, but as the road improves from Ngongongare it is possible to travel faster and I did. I took the woman into Arusha to Mt Meru Hospital, arriving just on dark.
The hospital staff were quick to react when I told them what had happened, and I still see the face of that scared woman as I left her alone there.
The woman survived the ordeal but of course the baby did not. I heard from the Medical Officer at Ngarenanyuki that the woman had returned safely to her village and was back to full health.
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Loti and I were in Valeska village and had just checked on the progress of the building project and on our way to visit some household plantings when a man on a bicycle stopped us.
A woman had given birth at 6:00am but she had died soon after leaving her small baby girl. The man told us thatthe village elders wanted us to take the baby girl to the orphanage at Nkoaranga. Perhaps temporally.
We arrived at the house at 11:30am and sure enough, they wanted us to take the baby to Nkoaranga. I thought this unusual because all Africans have large extended families but I decided not to question the matter in respect to the deceased woman.
I asked if the baby had had anything to drink and the answer was, no. I told them that we were 4 or 5 hours away from Nkoaranga and the baby may well suffer from dehydration as it was a hot day. I suggested that they find a nursing mother to feed the baby - at least give her something to be going on with! I had a niggling worry - I had read that a baby has a 40% chance of contracting HIV from breast milk! I decided though that I am in this position and that it is up to me to give the child the best possible chance.
A woman closeby had given birth just two days ago and she allowed the baby nourishment. I had no idea if this had cultural implications - it was just done.
A woman brought the baby to us and she was to travel with us but I demanded a man with community standing should come too form my personal legal safety. None wanted to come. The people hovered around drinking chai and there was much discussion, but I was firm. Finally a ten cell leader (that's a spokesman for ten households) agreed (reluctantly) to come.
I dropped Loti off and he assured me there would be no trouble at the orphanage.
At the orphanage they refused to take the child! They told me that protocols had to be followed meaning we would have to go into Arusha to complete them. It was late in the day and none of those offices would be open.
Luckily Dr. Nanyaro, OiC Nkoaranga Hospital was still in his office, so I asked for his assistance - the hospital is part of the DME so I knew him and we were on the sameteam . The good doctor came with me to the orphanage and told the staff 'treatment first and regulations later'. (I bet that wouldn't be the case normally)
Dr. Nanyaro told me that the formalities are there because in cases like this, the father and the rest of the family could care for the child but just want an easy way out.
I was left with one problem - the woman and man had no money and it was too late to travel back to Valeska. We put them up for the night and gave them fare to travel to Kikatiti where they could catch a lift back to Valeska.
I never saw the child again, but did hear that she survived well and had been returned to her extended family in Valeska. Several time I have requested news but have recieved none. The girl would be just over 12 years old. 1.1.11
A woman had given birth at 6:00am but she had died soon after leaving her small baby girl. The man told us that
We arrived at the house at 11:30am and sure enough, they wanted us to take the baby to Nkoaranga. I thought this unusual because all Africans have large extended families but I decided not to question the matter in respect to the deceased woman.
I asked if the baby had had anything to drink and the answer was, no. I told them that we were 4 or 5 hours away from Nkoaranga and the baby may well suffer from dehydration as it was a hot day. I suggested that they find a nursing mother to feed the baby - at least give her something to be going on with! I had a niggling worry - I had read that a baby has a 40% chance of contracting HIV from breast milk! I decided though that I am in this position and that it is up to me to give the child the best possible chance.
A woman closeby had given birth just two days ago and she allowed the baby nourishment. I had no idea if this had cultural implications - it was just done.
A woman brought the baby to us and she was to travel with us but I demanded a man with community standing should come too form my personal legal safety. None wanted to come. The people hovered around drinking chai and there was much discussion, but I was firm. Finally a ten cell leader (that's a spokesman for ten households) agreed (reluctantly) to come.
I dropped Loti off and he assured me there would be no trouble at the orphanage.
At the orphanage they refused to take the child! They told me that protocols had to be followed meaning we would have to go into Arusha to complete them. It was late in the day and none of those offices would be open.
Luckily Dr. Nanyaro, OiC Nkoaranga Hospital was still in his office, so I asked for his assistance - the hospital is part of the DME so I knew him and we were on the same
Dr. Nanyaro told me that the formalities are there because in cases like this, the father and the rest of the family could care for the child but just want an easy way out.
I was left with one problem - the woman and man had no money and it was too late to travel back to Valeska. We put them up for the night and gave them fare to travel to Kikatiti where they could catch a lift back to Valeska.
I never saw the child again, but did hear that she survived well and had been returned to her extended family in Valeska. Several time I have requested news but have recieved none. The girl would be just over 12 years old. 1.1.11
