Eye openers

So I expected certain things traveling to a “third world” country but some things I still found surprising so I thought I would list some of the eye openers on this trip.

1. A pediatric ward with a pediatric attending trained in critical care (ICU) that accepts as a regional referral center having no mechanical ventilators.
2. I heard a report of hospital ERs with no antiepileptic drugs like dilantin to stop a seizure.
3. Residents here are on call nightly for 3 nights or more in a row. (and I thought every 4th or 5th night call is bad as a resident)
4. All the hospitals in the northeast region with laboratories that have no ability to perform microbiology labs/cultures.
5. Send out labs that result by mail sometimes taking 4+ weeks to receive the results.
6. In the settings we were exposed to, a seemingly majority of foreign doctors providing care working long hours for comparatively little.
7. No land-line phones in some hospitals so doctors must use their own cell phone credits to call regarding patient care.
8. Often after making a diagnosis that requires a specialist care, if a specialist is available, obtaining transportation is often not feasible.
9. A hospital with a pediatric ward staffed by medical officers doing shift work with little pediatric training.
10. IV amoxicillin

Also at times I felt like I was taking care of the indigent in the inner city back home so similar problems still remain despite more resources or more health care dollars.