Ray of Hope

The following story is being told with permission from parents of the patient. BACKGROUND Hannah is a 14-year-old girl who presented to the emergency unit on July 30, 2016 with an extremely high blood pressure, pulmonary edema and breathlessness. Her oxygen saturation was 55% (normal value for pediatric patients is 95-100%). Oxygen was quickly administered in addition to diuretics and antihypertensive drugs. Once stable, we obtained blood specimen for analysis and concluded based on the results that she had renal (kidney) disease. Kidney ultra sound showed atrophied renal tissue and this was also supportive of the renal injury diagnosis. Her parents reported that she began having symptoms (decreased urine output, weight gain, anemia, weakness) a few weeks before they brought her to our hospital. After several days at the hospital and further assessment, we learned that Hannah had renal failure. In developed parts of the world, patients like Hannah would have had kidney bio...

 Glucometers are essential to every health facility and especially, to diabetes management. They are used to assess a patient’s blood sugar and determine whether to administer insulin or dextrose. At our hospital, these little devices are used so often that they sometimes break down and dysfunction. Once it breaks down, it’s just cost effective to replace it rather than trying to fix it.  A few months ago, each department had a glucometer but overuse led to deterioration and due to lack of funds, we have not been able to replace them. Until last week, we had 2 for the whole hospital. This meant that, in case of a diabetic emergency (hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic episode), we had to run and look for any available glucometer. Delays in providing quick care during diabetic emergencies can lead to negative patient outcomes. Thanks to a special donation from Nick Eskridge and Meredith Skaggs of Cloverport United Methodist Church, we have been able to procure 3 more glucome...

I took last week off to spend time with my family and relax. I’ve been running around like a chicken without a head since my arrival and I felt it was time for a short break. I’m usually at Ankaase (location of the hospital) and do not always get to see my family. Sometimes I spend 2 -3 weeks in the village, visit my family for a weekend and then head back. This has reduced the amount of time I get to spend with them. So we were all glad to have last week to really spend time together. With help from my dad, we were are able to afford to head to Cape Coast, about 110 miles south west of Kumasi, for 2 days during my time off. My sister (Esther) and her husband (Francis) joined my mom, my brother Francis and I on this mini vacation.  From front center to right:  Esther (my sister), Stella (mom), Francis (in white, my sister's husband), Francis (my brother) and I (UK shirt and Cap :), go wildcats!!!) We visited the Kakum national park (https://en.wikipedia....

As Christians, one of our many duties is to help lighten the burden of those who are less fortunate. We do this by indulging in those activities that bring hope to the lost and result in a heavenly peace for the broken. Most of us donate time, prayers, money and essential items to those in need as part of our calling to love and show love others. An observation I’ve made since I began serving at this hospital has been the increased number of patients who cannot afford to pay their hospital bills after discharge. They are left in the hospital as their loved ones look for funds to pay off these bills. I wrote about a particular case ( http://anidasowoha.blogspot.com/2016/08/an-act-of-kindness.html )  in which I was involved in raising money to help pay off hospital bills. Due to the current economic crises, which has led some into abject poverty, the number of patients who aren’t able to afford care is increasing. Lack of health education also contributes to the problem. Most o...