I have spent many hours waiting in hospital waiting rooms over the last months & years here in Swaziland...here are a few bullet points of my experiences.
Where there is no 911...
...a truck will do for a stretcher/bed/ambulance.
..."emergency" can mean getting treatment within hours, not minutes.
...you will trust strangers with your medical care & decisions because you are desperate.
...help only comes when & if you find a neighbor/relative/friend/stranger to drive you to the hospital.
...sterile is redefined.
...isolation & tb wards often don't have the doors closed.
...you bring your own bedding & food to the hospital.
...it's not uncommon to pack several people into a vehicle to go to the hospital once they hear you are going.
...there is a trailer in the corner of the parking lot with food to buy for patients.
...you pay cash for your treatment as you go through each step in the process.
...hardly anyone gets admitted overnight & if they do, they are often discharged the next day.
...you hold & carry your own iv bag around with you.
So glad you're there. You and the others on the team are a huge blessing for those of us who care about Swaziland and the children of Nsoko in particular.
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