Kelsey: Learning in the field

Yesterday (Thursday) we visited a traditional healer high up in the mountains of Arusha. It was really cold and damp up there so I’m glad we aren’t living in homestays up there. It was interesting to see the traditional healer in practice as he had hundreds of powders that were basically ground up plant roots and such that he claimed could cure anything. The woman that we saw him heal said she had chest pain and foot pain so he proceeded to give her one powder to mix with water and put on her foot and another to treat both both her chest and foot pain simultaneously. He said that he sees between 10-40 patients per day and only refers them to a hospital if it seems as though they have some type of heart related problem.

Currently all the government paid doctors are on strike in urban Tanzania. Yesterday the leader of the whole strike was beaten nearly to death and it is suspected that this was ordered by the government. Yesterday we also saw someone that had been stoned to death for stealing a motorbike in the city. People here take stealing very seriously and so even if you just steal someones cell phone you will be punished to death in most cases. One of the guys that was stoned yesterday however did not die and was still living with his skull exposed. It was quite gruesome as they showed a close up shot right on the local news. That would never happen in the States.

With only a little over a week left here in Tanzania I am getting quite anxious to come home. I miss taking a hot shower and just being able to crawl into bed without have to meticulously tuck in my mosquito net.  I am looking forward to being able to rinse my toothbrush with the tap water. Can’t wait to eat some American food when I get home—I have been craving Buffalo Wild Wings and Culvers custard. Yummm.

Below are some pictures from our trip to a rural Masai Health center that we visited on Monday.

delivery room

delivery chair

maternity wards where you stay for 24 hours after giving birth

kids waiting at the clinic to receive vaccines—Monday June 25th was national immunization day

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