There are some things in life here I have been very pleased with. One of those is a small boast, that since we left the UK we have not been to the doctors, that’s 2 and a half years. That’s not a small achievement as we are both moving beyond the 60-land mark coupled with the amount of travel we have done in malaria areas, tag into that those general tummy upsets that seem more regular here. We have consulted the local ASM nurses and obviously a huge dose of God’s grace. We also planned to be back in the UK for a short period to get a local doctor and dentist to give us an MOT. Well that hope came to a slow but grinding halt recently.
We have been learning what it means to seek medical support and advice outside the NHS which is an interesting experience. To find a doctor here we rely on other people's recommendations and all have different opinions and experiences. Once the doctor is identified the first question the receptionist asked is do you have medical aid or are you paying private. Medical aid is private insurance which costs £100 per month each, then you take a supplementary insurance to cover the shortfall.
The upside is we rang the doctors 9 o’clock in the morning and we were invited to come to see the doctor at 10 o'clock, yes the same day. We were with the doctor for 30 mins and felt well cared for. On leaving you pay the receptionist £20 not covered by medical aid.
The doctor sends you to another medical centre where you take samples and have blood taken, waiting time for this 10 mins. The receptionist informs me the results will be back in three days (it took 1 day) and once again she asks if I have medical aid or will it be private ie cash. For blood tests and because we get a pensioner’s discount we pay £65 for the tests. Then off to the pharmacy for medication cost £7.
In any of the above appointments I sat in an air conditioned room. Two weeks ago Erin asked me to deliver a bed for examining patients at the clinic in Mshilozi. It’s one of my roles, I call it helping to keep other peoples plates spinning, small but hopefully significant contribution to the bigger kingdom. As l left the bed and clinic with some of the most generous Christians I know. I had to steer the truck past two lines of people lining either side of the dirt track waiting to see a nurse (doctors won’t go). There was possibly 70 women and many children and babies and It was going to be 30 degrees that day, no shouting no protesting but quiet patience. Erin organises the lines takes tempreures and gives out tickets. As I drove passed the quiet parade of poor people I approached my turning, i stopped to pat salty tears from my eyes, and wondered why am I so privileged?
Two days after seeing the doctor she rings me with the results, not the receptionist, the doctor. The doctor in a caring manner talks me through the results promising to email further help and directions, and invites me to come back anytime.
This is not to say one system is better than the other as back in the UK a good portion of our marriage was given to work in and support the NHS.
Because our return to the UK has been delayed again by the rise of covide infections our next task with self care is to explore the opticians and dentists.
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