Sunday, October 17, 2010

St. Luke's Day

A hospital holiday has been declared for tomorrow, apparently to compensate for the removal of last week's "Moi Day" from the country's holiday calendar -- one of the smaller items addressed by Kenya's new political constitution.

Luke, the Physician... a reasonable icon for a mission hospital. Except sickness and death take no holidays, and we will be even more short-staffed than usual. Patients like little Norah, who needs a chest tube, and patients like Kennedy, who needs an MRI, and patients like Joan, who needs more debridement of her burns, will suffer because of administrative decisions that may pacify hospital employees but will make no sense whatsoever for hospital patients.

We have a plethora here of western-inspired mission statements, vision statements and computerized forms. We have a dearth of money, medications and functional computers -- much less trained, motivated clinical and clerical staff. It is a challenge to provide even marginal patient care. And Wednesday will be Mashujaa/Heroes' Day, formerly Kenyatta Day, which remains a national holiday.

Let us pray.

2 comments:

Nancy Rowe said...

May HE be your strength

Dianne, Dee, Mom, Granny said...

Asante sana, Nancy!