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3rd World Medical RealitiesThis is Kabwe, a 10 year old girl weighing just 11kg. When I saw her I immediately thought of my young grandson in New Zealand who at just 4 months old weighed in at a hefty 8kg.
Kabwe arrived at the hospital suffering from severe malnutrition. There was little hope for her survival but the doctors thought to try a blood transfusion anyway. Unfortunately there was no O-type blood available. Of course I volunteered mine and soon Kabwe had Scottish blood flowing in her veins! Despite the best of care, little Kabwe died overnight. This is real life in the Congo —CarolAnne
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Worlds Apart
The overwhelming sense of shock at what life is like in rural DRC in terms of medical help takes some getting over. Can you imagine what life is like when you have no local GP, no access to modern medication of any sort and the nearest hospital is 200 km away by dirt road. You have a sick child and you need help. What do you do? You do what you can . . . 40% of Congolese children die before the age of 5.
The overwhelming sense of shock at what life is like in rural DRC in terms of medical help takes some getting over. Can you imagine what life is like when you have no local GP, no access to modern medication of any sort and the nearest hospital is 200 km away by dirt road. You have a sick child and you need help. What do you do? You do what you can . . . 40% of Congolese children die before the age of 5.