Pothawira - clinic and orphanage

We went to Pothawira and stayed with the Masekos after church on Sunday through Wed afternoon. Julie and I volunteered at the clinic. I think she worked harder than I did -being a nurse there is very hard work. The clinic sees 200-300 patients a day. We also got a tour of 'phase 2' which hopefully will be finished by the time we are back next year. That will include labor, delivery and postpartum. They have been given a very generous donation to get started, but will need additional funds to finish the OR, the nursery and some isolation rooms for the contagious mothers.

We also saw the kids and gave out some dresses from Linda Redinger to the little girls, and baby blankets to the newest twins. Emma Maseko told me there were out of blankets and small baby clothes, so she is saving the rest of the blankets for the next new babies that come. They have 111 kids now, in an orphanage built for 100. They are building an additional duplex for another 20 kids, but it will almost be filled by the time it is finished!

Julie and I gave blood at the district hospital - unfortunately, Julie was a little dehydrated and felt pretty faint afterwards, but otherwise all went well. They need about 10 units of blood a day and get almost no donations. Sometimes family will come with a patient to donate, but  that is not enough. There is a central blood bank in Lilongwe, but it is several hours away and they are often out of blood. Where ever you are, consider donating to your local blood bank!

We arrived back in Lilongwe Wed. evening, bringing Maggie back for a couple of days, and had a very nice dinner with Michelle Clark.

Enjoy the photos but some are pretty medically graphic.

Cute kid at the clinic (he was not a patient)

Giving blood at Salima District Hospital

Julie finishing her donation

Oops, we should remember to drink more water before donations!

The main nurses station of the Phase 2

Julie, Peter and I at the 'back' of the new Phase two

Julie hard at work at the Pothawira clinic

A nicely healing foot wound

Julie unwrapping a burn wound, preparing to replace the bandages. It is winter here, with many children being burned in the open fires.

One of many abscesses we see in the clinic. Usually Peter does these but he was gone for a bit so I got to do this one.

Dinner with Michelle Clark and her Mom