Zimba Hospital

Several of us were able to travel to Zimba and visit the local hospital there. Aside from me: Ba Janice, Jessica Snail, Trey Carlock, Tanner Nichols, Katryna Cardwell, Christine Hall, and Callie Donaldson made the 45 minute trip. Once we arrived, Ba Janice introduced us to the American Doctors that are staying at the local mission. Dan Jones and his wife, Jone Jones, have been practicing medicine for 20 years and have done many incredible things for Zimba. Although Zimba was a very small town, the hospital is very nice; there is an X-Ray, lab, and operating room.
The first place I visited was the OR. It was very interesting getting to know the surgeons. I was surprised to see how young they are; they are no older than 23. It is almost like a trade school; they each studied three extra years to do surgery. In America one may have up to 12 years of extra school to do the same thing. Despite his young age, the surgeon was very professional and sanitary. I was very surprised when he asked me to dress out and assist him in the first surgery of the day. An older woman who has previously had 10 children needed a BTL (bilateral tubal ligation). I was able to assist the surgeon as he sliced her stomach open to tie her tubes. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see parts of the body first hand; it is much easier to remember the information this way. I was able to use the instruments to cut and help sew and I am very grateful that I was given this opportunity. The next surgery was an older man who had an inguinal hernia that needed to be fixed.
After leaving the OR, I shadowed Dr. Jones as he made his rounds. I ran several errands and helped to clean several wounds. One woman had a c-section that had become infected, so I replaced the bandages. Another woman injured her leg badly from a large rock; cleaning her leg was a mess. The coolest thing I was able to witness this day was a child being born. Up until my visit to Zimba, I have never seen childbirth; however, babies are popping out everywhere in Zambia. Apparently this was the woman’s ninth child.
Visiting the hospital in Zimba was a wonderful experience and I am happy that Ba Janice gave us the opportunity to make this trip.