On getting back to Bergville I asked about rabies and rang the doctor I had seen about my BP. The receptionist was saying that dogs are immunised and if treatment for a human is required it was a long process of many injections (yuk). I thought the likelihood of getting rabies was low so rang Bernard Gaede the Medical Director at Emmaus Hospital. He agreed it was a low risk situation, rabies was rare and if the animal acted out of character it was a risk I could bear. I asked about symptoms and he said it was too late once symptoms of headaches, nausea, frothing at the mouth and seizures occurred. On hearing this I decided to have treatment and so went on his advice to the clinic to get a referral to the hospital.
KZN Hospital Rivals Sydney Hospital
I was dreading having to go to Emmaus Hospital. However I am glad of the experience as there were lots of lessons and if you could imagine SA without a HIV problem where 18%( repeat 18% it is not a mistake) have HIV then the health system probably would not be too bad taking into account the rural context First I had to go to the Municipal Clinic. There an older Zulu RN filled in a form for me. She then looked at my dog bite and wanted to dress it. I suggested this was unnecessary and so I got the form to take to the hospital.
Lesson one was the drive to Emmaus Hospital. This hospital is 24 kms from Bergville and serves the municipality. The next closest hospitals are 45 and 50 kms away at Ladysmith and Escourt. I am a middle class visitor to SA and I have a car to transport me to receive medical treatment. Most Zulus bitten by a dog would not bother to worry as they have no means of transport except walking or taxi at prohibitive costs. This explains the difficulties many have accessing basic medical services or keeping up treatment for HIV and getting monthly medication.
Once at the hospital I was checked by a security guard who looked in my boot before allowing me to proceed.
Lesson number two was dealing with an unfamiliar system. I had Mamsy with me. I handed my form to the man in a box outside the OPD. He took all my details again and wrote them on a dog bite form. He then directed me to an office around OPD. When I knocked on the door I was told I had to go and get two more forms. Back to the entrance where at the door was a clerk who dutifully entered my details in a log book, filled out some more papers and took my BP (113/52 so I guess the medication is working) and made up a file. I was asked what was wrong with meand in full view of all pointed to my leg which she examined and made some comments on the form. Lucky it was nothing too personal I thought.
Dutifully armed with three lots of papers I was directed to the seats and obviously told to wait. I quickly discovered that the system worked on a first come first served basis. I was the only non Zulu in the waiting room so my presence caused a degree of curiosity from staff and other patients alike. I set in for a long wait. As one person was taken in to see the doctor all people moved to the next seat. I was able to see I was number 15 so guessed it would be a few hours.
The others waiting comprised mainly kids under two who looked very sick. There was guy who looked like he had TB or AIDS as he was wasted and a student who tried to push his way along by waiting outside the room the doctor occupied. At one stage Bernard the doctor came out looking stressed shouting for some help to hold down a patient for a lumbar puncture. I briefly wondered if I should offer but thought better of it and my limits as a volunteer (besides which I nearly passed out last time I saw a lumbar puncture). The young student standing outside at a later stage got a song and dance from the doctor who then pointed to the queue directing this young Zulu to the end.
The woman next to me had a child less than 12 months who looked very sick. I was conscious that possibly half the women waiting here were HIV positive based on data from KZN Health.
The queue moved slowly for a long while but one it got moving it seemed to move quickly and before I knew I had made it to the front row. Only six more ahead of me.
Each time one of the mothers with her infant went into one of the consulting rooms there were the anguished cries of babies I guess having blood drawn. Eventually Bernard called me in, had a look at the leg and said it was probably a risk not worth taking although it was very minimal, signed the form and sent me down the hall. A male nurse was waiting and he had already seen my form and filled in what I needed which was a course of five rabies injections. He got the injection package out of the fridge, drew the medication and injected me in the arm. All over in two minutes, I was given my form, directed back to the municipal clinic where I was to return on 30/3, ¾, 10/4 and 24/4 (when I am in Capetown). All over and all done with inside two hours, I think people in Australia won’t believe I was “processed” inside two hours as I know it would not happen at home. My afternoon totally wrecked I went back to the office to finish off the business planning workshop for Saturday.
KZN Hospital Rivals Sydney Hospital
I was dreading having to go to Emmaus Hospital. However I am glad of the experience as there were lots of lessons and if you could imagine SA without a HIV problem where 18%( repeat 18% it is not a mistake) have HIV then the health system probably would not be too bad taking into account the rural context First I had to go to the Municipal Clinic. There an older Zulu RN filled in a form for me. She then looked at my dog bite and wanted to dress it. I suggested this was unnecessary and so I got the form to take to the hospital.
Lesson one was the drive to Emmaus Hospital. This hospital is 24 kms from Bergville and serves the municipality. The next closest hospitals are 45 and 50 kms away at Ladysmith and Escourt. I am a middle class visitor to SA and I have a car to transport me to receive medical treatment. Most Zulus bitten by a dog would not bother to worry as they have no means of transport except walking or taxi at prohibitive costs. This explains the difficulties many have accessing basic medical services or keeping up treatment for HIV and getting monthly medication.
Once at the hospital I was checked by a security guard who looked in my boot before allowing me to proceed.
Lesson number two was dealing with an unfamiliar system. I had Mamsy with me. I handed my form to the man in a box outside the OPD. He took all my details again and wrote them on a dog bite form. He then directed me to an office around OPD. When I knocked on the door I was told I had to go and get two more forms. Back to the entrance where at the door was a clerk who dutifully entered my details in a log book, filled out some more papers and took my BP (113/52 so I guess the medication is working) and made up a file. I was asked what was wrong with meand in full view of all pointed to my leg which she examined and made some comments on the form. Lucky it was nothing too personal I thought.
Dutifully armed with three lots of papers I was directed to the seats and obviously told to wait. I quickly discovered that the system worked on a first come first served basis. I was the only non Zulu in the waiting room so my presence caused a degree of curiosity from staff and other patients alike. I set in for a long wait. As one person was taken in to see the doctor all people moved to the next seat. I was able to see I was number 15 so guessed it would be a few hours.
The others waiting comprised mainly kids under two who looked very sick. There was guy who looked like he had TB or AIDS as he was wasted and a student who tried to push his way along by waiting outside the room the doctor occupied. At one stage Bernard the doctor came out looking stressed shouting for some help to hold down a patient for a lumbar puncture. I briefly wondered if I should offer but thought better of it and my limits as a volunteer (besides which I nearly passed out last time I saw a lumbar puncture). The young student standing outside at a later stage got a song and dance from the doctor who then pointed to the queue directing this young Zulu to the end.
The woman next to me had a child less than 12 months who looked very sick. I was conscious that possibly half the women waiting here were HIV positive based on data from KZN Health.
The queue moved slowly for a long while but one it got moving it seemed to move quickly and before I knew I had made it to the front row. Only six more ahead of me.
Each time one of the mothers with her infant went into one of the consulting rooms there were the anguished cries of babies I guess having blood drawn. Eventually Bernard called me in, had a look at the leg and said it was probably a risk not worth taking although it was very minimal, signed the form and sent me down the hall. A male nurse was waiting and he had already seen my form and filled in what I needed which was a course of five rabies injections. He got the injection package out of the fridge, drew the medication and injected me in the arm. All over in two minutes, I was given my form, directed back to the municipal clinic where I was to return on 30/3, ¾, 10/4 and 24/4 (when I am in Capetown). All over and all done with inside two hours, I think people in Australia won’t believe I was “processed” inside two hours as I know it would not happen at home. My afternoon totally wrecked I went back to the office to finish off the business planning workshop for Saturday.
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