8th March 2012

After yet another exhausting day at the health centre yesterday, I am relieved to be spending the next 2 days at home. Actually, I wouldn’t be able to travel anyway as there appears to be a complete absence of fuel in Gimbie. Indeed, yesterday we had no electricity, no phone network, no water and no fuel. The good thing is, when it gets this bad, you know there’s nothing more that you can lose and therefore, no further disappointment.

My peaceful day, however, will be affected by the need to clean the car as it is covered in dust (both inside and out) and to my great annoyance, one of the women I brought back to the hospital with me vomited all over the back seat. This was despite my telling her and her daughter, who was holding her newly born baby with spina-bifida, that they should let me know when they felt sick so that I could stop and open the door.  Car sickness is a common problem amongst rural Ethiopians who have largely never travelled in a car before and so I always make sure that they understand the need to tell me if they feel sick. Clearly, this didn’t work.

Update on the theft; the police have only managed to recover 180 Birr from the 4000 stolen. The woman who was allegedly given the money has never returned. The 15-year old girl has been 'sentenced' (ie a decision was made by the police) to 6 months in prison. Apparently there is a prison in Gimbie.

This woman was seen at the risk clinic a couple of weeks ago and deidied to deliver her baby in the health centre. She was in labour for 13 hours, with no analgesia and delivered a healthy 3.5Kg baby girl. She walked home (an hour away) later in the afternoon.
Note the knitted jumper Angie! I can't explain the pink hat being given to her rather than a matching one but they certainly appreciated having the clothes.

Jaba (4 months old) getting tubbier by the day and seemingly developing a lazy eye!

The long, dusty and deserted road to a health post. It takes women 3 hours to walk from here to the health centre.

A long and dusty walk back home after bringing their babies to the vaccination clinic.