It was wonderful to be welcomed into the bosom of the Ntitima family again, and I felt truly honoured by the erection of a wonderful new latrine! Judith obviously knows my regular calls of nature which punctuate the flow of patients sitting around the mud hut. I have since named it Lisuku Palace for its wondrous palatial beauty!

Mary, Judith and Moses with the Lisuku Palace Loo

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On one occasion, some of the hoped-for health education was provided as HIV/AIDS-related stories were read to the audience of waiting patients. It is important to LTF to use every opportunity to support the promotion of  health education in our clinics.

I was blessed this time to have the translating abilities of the local community health worker ‘Endson’. It certainly was a boon having someone who knows what questions to ask. However, by the end of the stay, I was starting to think and write in Nyanga (the most common local language), so things like ‘Npepo’ (fever), ‘Musano’ (backache) and ‘Montou’ (headache) were second nature!

 On a note about HIV/AIDS, I was very saddened to hear the story of a dear friend who had passed away recently from the disease less than a week from it being diagnosed. This was a vibrant, very pretty young businesswoman of 33, who had her whole life to look forward to. It just brings home to me the still strong stigma that can exist. Although some people I met at this visit were quite open about their diagnosis, many still are very afraid to talk about it or even admit it to themselves. This young woman had received no treatment and left the whole family wondering why she felt so ashamed to even go for voluntary testing or counselling. Her 14 year-old daughter was heartbroken, and cried ‘Why didn’t you get tested, mummy?’ She leaves a big space in our hearts.

 Community Health Workers at Nampundwe

Twenty Community workers turned up at Nampundwe Rural Health Clinic on August 4th to have workshops on hygiene & hand washing, diarrhoea and dehydration, nutrition, recycling, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. The Traditional Birth Attendants were treated to a separate session of ‘Problem deliveries’, with the help of a teaching model of a torso and baby, complete with cord and placenta.(Explain that one in customs control!) It was so wonderful to see these people again and share some time with them. I dashed back at lunchtime to cook them (a growing tradition of) lemon and apple cake with which we finished off the day. Each was given a pile of donations which included solar powered torches.

Thankfully, the clinic now has a daily Voluntary Testing and Counselling with a specially trained worker for HIV/AIDS patients. Women are nowadays asked to come to their pregnancy booking with their partners, so that they can both be tested for HIV. In the past, there was a big problem if the woman was found to be HIV positive at booking and the husband’s status was unknown. Having them both come to the booking at least highlights the husband’s responsibility for the future child and also the sexual relationship. This is a good opportunity for health education, too.

 Unfortunately, the old crock of the ambulance is again off the road, so Festus and Isaac (the clinical officer and environmental officer) had to manage outreach to the villages on Isaac’s motor bike. One lady, bleeding badly from placenta praevia at 32 weeks pregnant, had to wait hours whilst private transport was arranged. They managed to save her at Lusaka University Teaching Hospital, but for the baby, it was too late. I too found getting around to the villages again to be a big problem due to lack of transport,

They desperately need the use of a 4x4 to do this work, and please, please, please would anyone be help with this here?

I have pledged that the vehicle would be able to be utilised for emergencies from Nampundwe clinic to Lusaka if necessary.

The clinic house is at last under construction at Lisuku, and the next visit is due to be in November/December.

The last few days included a meeting by the members of LTF (Zambia) in Zambia. We were blessed to have our dear old friend Dr.Josphat Simutowe there, which proved to be a tremendous benefit, as he was full of brilliant ideas and suggestions. We were all enthused with optimism for not only the medical side of things, but also the help for the orphans and registration for the charity in Zambia.

  LTF (Zambia), Meeting

 Back row: Moses Ntitima, Hilary, Edward Chela, Susie Hopking (visitor), Josphat Simutowe, Edith Sosela

Front row: Edward Chela Jnr, Mathias Chabala, Norah Kamalata and Andi Saiti

I will keep you posted in the next phase of things as we grow and provide the help that the Zambian people so desperately need.

‘Mulungu Amidoleseni’-God Bless You!

Hilary