I am not sure what a "damp squib" is, but I was interested by these
postings.  I visited The Gambia a year ago February and stayed in Basse to
visit my husband's family.  While there I became dehydrated and visited
the clinic in Basse and was hospitalized overnight to receive fluids.  The
Gambian staff, intake MD and nurses, all did a commendable job.  In the
morning I was discharged by a Cuban doctor who was conducting the morning
rounds.  I was so struck by what I would have to call her attitude of
contempt for--apparently--the clinic, its patients.  At the time, I
remember thinking that this was a woman not happy with her job.

The whole experience was so memorable to me because of the contrast
between that tiny clinic and the enormous, spotless, high tech medical
facilities I'm accustomed to in the US.  Apart from the angry Cuban doc, I
felt like there was a lot of care being provided, by the staff, by family
members, making the experience have a very human face -- something, I
might add, that gets lost here sometimes.

Jane Warner
Seattle, WA

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On Wed, 23 Apr 2003, Momodou Camara wrote:

> On 22 Apr 2003 at 18:04, Ams Jallow wrote:
>
> > The Cuban Ambassador claimed that many Gambian villages,
> > which have been without doctors in the past, now have the attention of the Cuban
> > medical personnel who are working "within and for the communities. This is
> > social medicine at its most effective best".
>
> Currently, Kuntaur health Center is without any doctor because the Cuban
> doctors left for the simple reason that there was no electricity there. This is
> first hand knowledge because I have been there and spoke to the Gambian nurses
> who are trying their best to keep the health facility running. Work is being
> done to expand the Center at the moment but the excuse that the doctors left
> because of lack of electricity is almost unbelievable.
>
> Since most villages are without electricity then I wonder what the Ambassador
> would say about the the departure of these Cuban doctors from Health Center due
> to the lack of electricity?
>
> Momodou Camara
>
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