Due to the previous day’s issues we decided to improve on our strategy in terms of having a numbered queue, as well as trying to have a pharmacist with every doctor.
Time to get ready for action! The doctors in our group were very knowledgeable, with big hearts and really great at what they do!
During this session we truly realised how hard it is for widows living in Iraq. They had lost their husbands, some very recently, and had to look after their children alone. The heartbreaking part of it all is when you realise how these events have affected them mentally. To hear from them about how depressed they were feeling, occasionally leading them to suicidal thoughts is something which was so hard to hear. Things like depression is a big stigma in their society, so it can be hard to convince them that trying to get treatment for it WILL help them feel better. I can only pray that we can provide a permanent solution for people affected mentally like this in the future. So often the physical scars are talked about, but the mental scars are just as important. This trip is just the start. Hopefully we can push on from here and build teams, like psychiatrists, who can help provide support and treatment for them.
We also had a man who was there with his granddaughter. He really wanted to work and earn money for his family but he was struggling with his legs. The only option that had been given to him by Iraqi doctors was an operation, but it had to be carried out abroad for which he didn’t have the money for. We are hoping that we will be able to help him get this much needed operation. He had also brought in his hard copy x-rays which is something you don’t often see back home. It was also very interesting to try and decipher the medication which patients are currently on and help provide treatment based on that.
During the afternoon shift we were able to treat many of the patients. This time, some of the pharmacists played more of a triaging role, where we went through the queue of patients with a translator, going through the medical questionnaire. We tried to get more of the patients treated for minor ailments and directing them, where needed, to the doctors. It felt like quite an efficient system. A very busy but fulfilling day at A World Without Barriers’ clinic.
By Zainab W
April 2016
