Journal Reflections: Durban, Day 33

22 April 2009

Question: How much UV light is needed to negate TB?

Siyaphila uses UV lights in the ward. I am sure most, if not all, of the patients here have TB. This naturally makes one wonder, especially since no one uses masks around here. Staff simply rely on the ultraviolet lights. Hmm?

Frustration: Cultural nuances

Family visitors take precedence over soiled linens. Let me explain. There was a patient who was covered in urine and stool. Obviously, this patient needed to be cleaned up. If there was one thing I learned in school it was the importance of keeping the patient's skin clean and dry. If not, skin breakdown was inevitable and sick, elderly, poor "nutritionalized" patients are unlikely to heal quickly from this. How long would the family stay? My western mind would have politely excused the family and cleaned up the patient, then welcomed the family back. Wouldn't the family prefer this too?