Concluding Days

Since our last blog we have had further meetings with the staff in the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital who will be involved in the Diabetic Multi-disciplinary Team.

On Tuesday this week Ros and I met with the Head of the Department of Surgery and the Chief Matron. The idea was to discuss how we could take forward the idea of a Diabetic Foot Clinic. This would include carrying out testing of the feet in order to classify the risk caused by the complications of diabetes. We were extremely grateful that they could spare their precious time at such short notice.

The meeting concluded on a positive note with an agreement being reached to revive the monthly Diabetic Foot meetings. Upon Ousman’s return from his upcoming visit to Swansea this September it is intended to start the foot assessment clinics.

A report of the visit was compiled and has been circulated to The Provost of the Medical School and all other persons involved in the Diabetic Multi-disciplinary Team.

So this more or less concludes our visit this August and hopefully the new clinics that will be taking place will have an impact on the treatment of the diabetic foot at The Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital, Banjul.

We would like to thank everyone who helped us make this trip and especially Professor Stephen Allen of Swansea University Health Science Department and also last but not least our Head of Podiatry & Orthotics Department, Sally Bloomfield (sorry Sal - no photograph of you!)

Bye for now!

Ros & Terry

Further Developments

Hi All! Hot on the heels of our last blog comes this one! Its the start of the working week here!
Last Thursday was the second time we went onto the wards. The pictures below indicate the type of cases present there. We visited the patients that had been scheduled for amputation. In one poor ladies case it was her second leg amputation at only 56 years of age. What future for her we wondered?

One of the next ladies we saw (4 in total & 3 gentlemen) wasn't scheduled for amputation but had just been admitted in a very poor state and was being attended to by her daughter. 





We then proceeded onto the men's ward to be presented with a foot that had been surgically debrided. We discussed appropriate management with the local team who were hopeful that it would resolve but unfortunately it seemed that an amputation would be the best option.This is a picture of that foot, clearly visible were tendons & bone right down to calcaneum level! It would have needed more than just good wound healing practice.

The equipment and dressing practice was better this time, Ros had said. The local staff manage very well with limited equipment and supplies. More resources would clearly improve the care they could deliver.

Moving away from the hospital back to our hotel we make no apologies for including some 'light relief' shots after the serious business of the wards! 
Here are some shots of the grounds and fellow guests at the hotel - a clue - some don't sleep in the rooms! We hope you enjoy them!

Flutter-Bye!

Business Monkey!

Strangers on the shore!

We are being monitored!

That's all for now folks - as porky pig would have said! Catch our next instalment - hopefully soon!

Ros & Terry

Arrival & First Day at the Hospital

Hi All, and apologies for the lack of this blog for last couple of days. Neither myself nor Ros have been very well. Were like the 2 of the 3 wise monkeys. Ros has lost her hearing in one ear and I've lost my voice (hurrah, you all cry!).

Atlantic In The Rain

The flight was pretty non-eventful apart from the fact that we refused permission to land because the fire truck couldn't be started. So we were going to divert to Dakar then at the last minute we were allowed to land. 

Whilst still at the Atlantic Hotel we attended the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) for the first time. Our contact was Ousmann Jemmeh. The Medical Departmental Matron.

Ousmann Jemmeh

What follows below is a series of photos taken of the hospital.

This is the internal courtyard of the hospital. Ousmann's office is in the middle of the picture just beyond the furthest car. The picture below shows a typical waiting room whilst Outpatient clinics are in action. Today its Diabetic clinic where as many as 150 patients can come through from 6:00 am in the morning on. Try doing foot checks on that lot!

The next event we were treated was a tour of the wards to get a flavour of the running of the place. Pictures of this will follow in a later blog! The hospital has sex segregated wards, now there's a current topic!

Health education: as one of the processes that occurs in Diabetic Clinic there is a nurse that demonstrates principles of good diet to the patients, all this is done pictorially to avoid literacy problems.

We intend producing other such info for the hospital as part of our project and my artistic flair will be pushed to the limit during the process!

Other parts of the hospital featured on our first day tour were the CSSD department where there is only one steriliser working for the whole hospital!

We were reliably informed that this situation has been ongoing for some considerable time!

Dressing time: Salt or Vinegar? We observed a dressing being carried in outpatients. This was a chronic foot ulcer that was being soaked with vinegar. This apparently effective against Pseudomonal infections - well worth evaluating for ourselves!

All this frantic outpatient was overseen by this very pleasant - almost a celebrity - receptionist!

This concludes the blog for the day of Wednesday 17th August 2010 and we will endeavour to provide you more updates as soon as possible.

Bye for now!!

Terry & Ros

Getting there!

Here we are killing time before we head out yonder! Trains that are timetabled for plane departures would be nice! Still 4 hours to go to check in. Both of us are apprehensive about achieving objectives but that's the buzz!
Gambia here we come!!
Terry & Ros