final reflection

I’m back in Halifax and looking at our quiet, snowy garden.   The month in Rwanda has been excellent and each time I go back there has been noticeable improvement.

Still, there are terrible challenges such as broken equipment, lack of drugs, overworked and poorly reimbursed staff, very ill patients, few role models, chaos, and poor team communication.  The Rwandan hospitals are not easy places to work.  The reward for visitors is the enthusiasm to learn and improve by the local staff, residents, technicians and medical students.  Everyone is so grateful for our help and friendship.

Being in Rwanda reminds me of how very fortunate we are.  Each day you see people in Rwanda who are warm and cheerful even when coping with great adversity.  I just hope I can remember this in the months to come.

Special highlights:

·      Sharing laughs, tears, scary cases, serious cycling, great food, and inspiring teaching with Lauren and Terri

·      Bona as a great leader in the OR – often running 6 rooms and putting out fires with great skill.

·      Paulin teaching the residents at academic day – they were so proud to be taught by a graduate from their program

·      Christian telling everyone in the room to be quiet during a chaotic and noisy pediatric induction

·      Academic day – great fun, very interactive, seeing light bulbs go off

·      Bringing low fidelity simulation to Rwanda and finding a potential space for the Rwandan Simulation Centre!

·      Bona introducing the Surgical Safety Checklist at CHUK

·      Great meals at Khana Khazana

·      Mountain biking along Lake Kivu for two days – absolutely gorgeous country and very far from the noise and chaos of Kigali

·      The waterfall hike in Nyungwe…

·      Serena Hotel – swim, whirlpool, shower, sauna, tea, salad Nicoise, coffee ice cream and wifi

·      Smiles, hugs and handshakes with my many, many friends in Rwanda

Who knew you could make neurophysiology fun and interactive???

Great impromptu teaching by Lauren

Bona - a pillar of strength

This is me looking happy and relaxed

Our low-fidelity simulation program

Teaching paediatric intubation (Benjamin and Gaston)

Washed coffee beans in Kinunu.  We stayed overnight at the coffee washing station.

Biker chicks

Coffee washing station.  They lay the beans to dry for two weeks and need to turn them regularly.

Tea plantation near Nyungwe