Day2

www.tanzaniavolunteers.com

Today Louis (the manager of the Tanzania volunteers, the place I just arrived in Tanzania and that highly recommend ) toke me to Moshi and showed me around town.
Taking the small bus (Dala Dalas) was an experience by itself...
















then I met with the director of the project, he introduced me to moshi's AIDS center (some sort of center to help peoples with HIV) and there he had to improvised with a new case without any preparation or notice; it was a women (55 y/o) who came hours earlier just in the hope to see him... she told the peoples there that she seen him in the past and that she is in need of a follow up (that was not true, she sneaked herself in). He, a translator and I sat down and toke the case from scratch... I had the chance to practice a bit by asking few questions... she had a big lump on the stomach that is causing pain that keeps her awake at night, she is HIV since last June and on anti-retro viral drugs since then. She doesn't eat or sleep much; her tongue has black spot on it (not so good)... We told her to go at the hospital to check that lump and then to come back for help if needed. The director told me that this is classic, patients will create stories in order to have a visit with him instead of going to the hospital first or before getting a proper diagnosis... he also told me that she would probably not make it! We were not able to help her and she was suggested to go to the hospital ASAP.
With compassion I understand that when peoples are desperate, they often do a lot of things to get by... not always good...