Human Interest Stories – an everyday occurrence at ILH

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Laura Brown is one of our Pharmacy Residents.  She was here last year as a student and came back!  Yesterday she became an “everyday hero.”

There was a 14 month-old child admitted with malaria and pretty typical symptoms of fever, lethargy and anemia.  The malaria can tear up the red blood cells.  This infant’s hemoglobin was 2.8.  Normal would be more like 15.8.  There are people wandering around with hemoglobin nearly this low.  Mostly they have pernicious anemia.  But they got there slowly.  When hemoglobin drops to this level quickly however, it is a disaster.  The body cannot transport enough oxygen to feed the tissues, let alone heal.  This little tike needed a transfusion.

After transfusion!

As Laura modestly put it, “There were lots of us willing to give a blood donation.  But everyone else had their immunizations before they came.  Mine were up to date from a year ago.”  So she donated a pint of blood.  Our little friend made a miraculous recover and today was standing by mama.  She isn’t done with her treatment, but she is recovering, thanks to Laura’s gift of life.  These stories are not just about the wazungu.  Many of the employees give blood when it is needed.  They are everyday heroes too.  It is a daily occurrence here.

Today Augustana Lutheran Church visited Ilula Lutheran Hospital, so I had the privilege of giving them the tour.  Then they feasted with us at lunch on Anna’s great cooking.  We went by the Private Ward, where Amri is.  You may recall the name if you read Iringa-Friends-2012.  He is still here and has been now for nearly a year.  He is still dealing with pressure sores.  The Augustana people were gracious and generous to give money toward his care and to the Poor Patients’ Fund.

They had a novel idea also: What would a donation of $10, $20, $50 or more supply?

I can put a face on some of that.  A full course of Plumpy’Nut (RUTF, “ready to use therapeutic food), a sachet (packet) per day for six weeks would be around $16.  (Not much, unless your entire annual income is $360.)  More typically, we would use for a couple weeks, so $5.  We will have about a thousand kids under five years of age admitted to ILH.  Of those, 38% are stunted, a sign of long-term under nutrition.  But ALL of the children are under nutritional stress.  Just counting the 380 kids who need RUTF for 10 days or so, now we have 3800 doses needed per year, just for the children overtly under nourished and not including any of the children who need nutritional support during their illnesses. 

I am proud and thankful to say that again tis year, St. James came through with enough donations for fully 1/3 of what the hospital needs.  Way to go, St. James!