I paid a visit to the local hospital called Makelekele, the second largest hospital in Brazzaville where I visited the different sections in the hospital and spoke with the staff. The hospital was a little crowded due to the explosion that occurred a few weeks ago. A number of people are still receiving treatment from the hospital.
My purpose for visiting the hospital was to gain a better understanding of the health status of the Congolese people especially as it regards tobacco-related diseases and view the state of their health facilities. Following a tour of the hospital I chatted with the exceptionally nice staff and enjoyed an informative discussion the Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr. Loussambou. The Director explained to me that from their observation, the leading cause of morbidity was bronchitis and pneumonia while the leading cause of mortality was malaria and heart attack. He also explained the national strategy to combat malaria. When I inquired about the prevalence of cancer of the lung, he said that it was quite low.
My visit to the hospital opened my eyes to the sacrifices made by the medical personnel in the Brazzaville; they are able to do much with so little. The personnel seemed interested in their patient’s conditions and the well-being of other staff. They also did their work with so much joy such that it was infectious.
Finally, during the week, I completed my research paper on health workforce norms. I am also done with reviewing the monitoring and evaluation committee report. In the next final 2 weeks, I am looking forward to having the employee service event and putting finishing touches to my work. Expect to see all the pictures from the event.