The Chiefdom Entourage

It was a very slow day at triage at St. John, perhaps because it was a Saturday and the outpatient Department only opens for half a day.  There was just about half the number of patients waiting on stools outside the hospital this morning as compared to the last time I was here.

We did send two patents with suspect cases of Ebola to the ETC, one of them was not such a strong case but following the Ebola Triaging Protocol, she fulfilled the criteria.  The other patient took paracetamol before coming to the clinic and his temperature remained flat but he had a number of symptoms.  Despite his denial of ever visiting the sick or attending a funeral, the nurses did not believe him.  However it took almost two and a half hours and numerous phone calls before the ambulance finally came to pick them up to go to the ETC.

As we waited for more patients to be triaged, all of a sudden a big group of traditionally dressed men in Boubou or Agbada , women in Boubou and head pieces, and section chiefs in white traditional clothes looking rather distinctive and elegant; came to the triaging area. These were the community leaders including the Paramount Chief identified by a pendant medal he wore. Later I spotted them roaming the outpatient and inpatients areas.

Fatmata, the severely dehydrated baby was much improved, awake, alert, and had been nursing well.  She was lying in bed playing with her foot.  Soon her mom could take her home.

The village was strangely soporifically quiet.  The stores closed by twelve noon on Saturdays because of Ebola.  Some women gathered under the shades of trees cooking, washing clothes, hair-styling; some just bared their chest because of the heat.  The men congregated together over their vehicles and little shops, away from the women.  Goats roamed around eating small sprigs from short bushes.  One man wearily said Ebola has destroyed their commerce and he was tired of it.  He gave a sigh that said it all; he could not wait to return to life before Ebola.