World Tuberculosis Day

Thought I would detail part of Jose Ramos Hortas Speech on World Tuberculosis Day where he congratulates the Bairo Pite Clinic

Dili, Mar 24, 2012 – World Tuberculosis Day is celebrated today with a message from the Head of State exhorting national and international people with responsibilities in this particular matter  to do all in their power to eliminate this scourge of public health within the next parliamentary term in Timor-Leste.

The text by President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, José Ramos-Horta, says:
Timor-Leste, as one of the poorest countries in the world – 147th in the 2011 Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) –, but with significant gas and oil reserves, should do a lot more to eliminate tuberculosis, number one scourge of national public health.

According to the latest data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and from the Government of Timor-Leste (Ministry of Health, 2011), the incidence rate of tuberculosis in the 13 districts as a whole is of 145 per 100,000 inhabitants.

I hope, therefore, that the next executive makes a solemn pledge to allocate a larger percentage of the State Budget (SB) to Healthcare, namely to fight malnutrition and tuberculosis, in order to reduce and even to eliminate this scourge – with a particularly high incidence in children – within the next five years.

On this occasion, I especially want to congratulate Bairo Pite Clinic, in Dili, and Dr. Daniel Murphy, who for over a decade has been tirelessly fighting tuberculosis, afflicting so many Timorese families. The State should support him in the expansion of his programme – as the President of the Republic himself has been doing, donating part of his salary to this noble cause.

I salute the great decrease – of about 75 per cent – of the incidence rate of tuberculosis in Timor-Leste over the last three years – the Head of State concluded.
Tuberculosis, known as a “disease of poverty” and which affects most developing countries, kills over 1.7 million people per year worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation.

Ward Round at the Bairo Pite Clinic - Childrens Ward

Trip to Rai Robo - Health Clinic 
Every day at the clinic,  4 WD vehicles drive to outlying areas with a doctor and nurse (and sometimes an interpreter) to run a medical clinic.  I went out on one of these trips to Rai Robo.  This was a three hour drive along the Liquica Coast Road and then up into the hills.  The road along the coast had landslides on one side and sheer drop on the other.  Was okay going up the mountain as I was on the landslide side, but coming back I was on the sheer drop side.  I don't think I took a breath until I got to safer ground on the way back.  I would much prefer to jump out of a plane!! 

This is a sedate part of the drive.  Great views and even a decent road.

 

Along the road we were driving on - they are building retainer walls, by hand,  to hold back the landslides.  You can see the state of the road here.








All in all, was a fabulous drive - top speed of approx 30 km per hour and that speed didn't happen very often.  Along the way we passed every time of animal on the road - the usual dogs (and lots of), chickens, ducks, goats, cows, horses and pigs.

 We stopped for lunch prior to turning up for the clinic.  Fantastic views 

The clinic was in an open area and slowly all the patients turned up, waited their turn and had a very social time while they waited.  It was a real gathering of the community.  The clinic was run by Sofia (a doctor from Portugal), and intepreter and nurse.  Sofia would assess the patients and then they would present to the nurse for their drugs.  I entertained the children with the camera - they were pretty amazed at seeing their photos on the digital camera.  I am going to get some prints and send them up with the next clinic.   

Elections 
The elections that were just recently held did not end up with any candidate winning 51% of the vote.  What happens now - is they all strike deals, pal up with each other and the top 2 (I think) candidates then go to the polls again.  There is a public holiday the day before the election so everyone can get back to their village to enable them to vote. 

There is a real concern now about violence after this election.  Not sure what party Fretlin is supporting - but the locals tell me that the rallies that Fretlin ran were all "rent a crowd".  Fretlin would fill the tanks with petrol for everyone who participated in the rally!  

Dili - Roadworks and Elections

Things are heating up around here with the elections due on Saturday.  I was walking along the waterfront today and there was a huge contigent of local police, the scruitineers have arrived and there is a large presence of UN Police (they are much more visable now). We are anticipating going to Ermera on Saturday - this is a coffee producing area of Timor Leste.  May be wise to get out of the city.  

 This is one of the main roads along the waterfront.  It has been raining fairly consistently today.  By tomorrow (if the rain stops - it will all be drained away, but it gives you an idea of the condition of the roads). 

I am not sure what will happen to Timor Leste when the UN and all others leave in approx. December this year.  The conditions here are still third world in regards to health and infrastructure is not in place to support  the people.  They have built some large buildings - for example the Presidential Palace, and shopping centres like the Timor Plaza but these benefit the rich, not the majority of the population of Dili.  Its hard to see evidence of where the money from the royalties of oil exploration have been spent.  Its certainly doesn't appear to be evident. 

Tropical Downpour at the Bairo Pite Clinic

Couple of interesting photos - Marie Stopes International - On the adjacent corner to the Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

On Saturday just gone there were large parades of trucks, bikes, cars, police etc.  which were rallying for the candidates for the election on next Saturday. 

Well another week gone.  The time is passing quickly.  It has been a busy week at the Clinic with all beds full.  There are a number of cases of Dengue Fever - the tropical rid is being well used as this is one thing I don't want to get! So  far this season there have been 10 deaths from Dengue Fever. 

Went to the Alola Foundation on Saturday - The Alola Foundation is a large organisation for women, based in Dili.  Its founder is Kirsty Sword Gusamao (wife of Xanana).  The foundation's goals are education for women and their children, economic freedom for Timorese families, and prevention of domestic abuse.  The foundation urges women to get involved in Timor's future through political action and voting.  

On Thursday there was a holiday in Timor for the death of  Francisco Xavier do Amaral  - (except for some of us at the clinic).  Those who wanted,  had a day off.  All was peaceful - there was lots of church services. He was the first president of East Timor and only lasted 10 days before the country was invaded by Indonesia.  He was also up for election this time as well. 

Bairo Pite Clinic

It’s strange to think I have only been away a week - seems like I have been here a long time.  The Bairo Pite Clinic is the only place locals can get any healthcare for free.  At the Dili National Hospital they have to pay - $5 for a blood test, $12 for radiology etc.  The Clinic runs on $15,000 a month - for everything.  They have a Maternity Ward, General Ward and 2 TB Wards, plus an emergency room (so small you can just walk around the bed).  Then they run medical clinics where everyone just waits and moves along the queue, which goes right around one room, and snakes outside as well.  And they all just patiently wait.  

The General Ward has eight beds in it with just enough room for a chair between.  All mixed ages, sex.  There is one young woman with suspected bone cancer - they have done a biopsy and sent  the specimen through an Aussie traveller to Darwin for analysis.  This is through someone, who knew someone, who knew someone etc. etc.

Lack of medication is a huge issue.  For one patient they only had two tablets left for her treatment - when they runs out, so does the treatment.  If anyone wants to send any medication - it is so needed by the clinic. 

There are a couple of current patients with mental health issues and no means of treatment - no medication and no experience.  I spend a couple of hours a day with one of them and also need to spend some time with the other one on a daily basis.  

Staff at the clinic were so pleased to receive the donations from PVCH staff and family.  The bandages etc. all went into the emergency room and everything else went into the Pharmacy area.  Gloves are precious........

I spend yesterday walking around Dili - I think I will stay out of the sun today - my poor nose isn't going to recover ever.....  I keep putting sunscreen on, but I keep sweating if off.

 

I walked to the Xanana Gusmao Museum, Art Gallery and Reading Room - closed for renovations.  Went to the Bishops Residence - Home of Bishop Carlos Belo - was a sanctuary for those seeking refuge from the military during occupation - also closed for renovations.  Bishop Carlos Belo received a Nobel Peace Prize.  But near there - the Virgin Mary Statue - I could see that - a place for open air masses.  It is always a beautiful walk along the water front and was much quieter (being Saturday). 

All going well here.  Now have to try and find someone in Australia to do a gratis Cochlear Implant and try and get some help for two kids with leukaemia.  That will be my work today - the internet at the clinic is so slow it took all afternoon to open (and only one tab succeeded).