Mobile Clinics
The poverty in this region of Indonesia can be so bad that even the cost of transportation to a hospital or clinic can be more than most can afford. The mobile clinics that go to remote villages bring help to those who cannot access health care. The Alaska Team went to a village on the Island of Halmahera. This clinic was to be just a one day event. IFC have sent teams to remote areas and they stay for three days to as much as three months. This clinic was conducted under a roof but there were no walls around the clinic area. The first step is to unload the medicines and set up chairs. It didn’t take long and the clinic was underway. It was hot and very humid. There were about seven medical staff doing examinations along with Scott Conover a P.A. from Alaska. There was no privacy and the medical interviews were conducted with the medical staff and patient sitting on chairs facing each other. Scott was in his element. He had a smile on his face the entire day. Scott is a great teacher and spent the day instructing our medical staff as well as seeing patients. These are very poor people. They saw people suffering from malnourishment, T.B., malaria, the flu, fevers and possible cancer. There were some very serious problems.
While the medical team was conducting the clinic another group of brave souls were entertaining a band of children. This was great fun with balloons, singing and games. The children were having a lot of fun with the bulai (white people).
This clinic saw over 100 patients that day. They ranges from new born to the elderly. This is a way we can help with the health in these small villages. It is a privilege to be able to provide some hope to their suffering.