New roof

New hospital roof--bamboo poles, plastic sheeting and grass

This week they decided to redo the hospital roof as it was leaking during some of the torrential downpours we have had lately.   We had to move patients out of the area they had unroofed and at one point we ran out of beds and had patients on the floor. Many of them bring mats and sit on the floor anyway so they were unfazed by it. The first day they took off part of the roof we had an incredible wind in the morning which is very unusual.  All of our papers went flying making work difficult.  Later in the week we had an afternoon downpour with a different section of roof off flooding that area and much of our covered space as well.  Definitely more challenging working conditions than I'm used too!
As it is late in malaria season the kids seem to be sicker when they get here due to repeated episodes of malaria. Many are very anemic and we did more blood transfusions this week than all of last month despite rain, wind and space!

Nyumanzi Transit Camp

I finally got together a few pictures of refugee life.  When they arrive by bus from the South Sudan border they are taken to the Nyumanzi transit camp where they are given housing by UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and MSF provides medical services. Within a couple of months they move to one of the more permanent refugee camps which are mostly divided up by tribe.
Ayilo 1 and 2 are the two refugee camps where MSF  provides medical care for the refugees living there, as well as any Ugandans living nearby that want to come.  Each family group is given a plot of land big enough for a structure or two, a latrine and to grow some vegetables.  The water supply is often a ways away so people carrying water containers is a common site.

Ayilo1 Refugee Camp and women carrying water home

Every month WFP (World Food Program, another UN agency) provides the refugees with beans, sorghum and cooking oil.  Some months salt or soap are also provided.  The distribution is done on a different day for each refugee camp but still involves thousands of people and tons of food.

Women coming back from WFP monthly distribution.
Dinka's are tall and thin!

Most of our food at MSF is purchased by our cooks locally and once a month some is ordered from a store in Gulu 2 hours away.  The food chain here is a bit more direct than at home.  Coming home from work Saturday we pulled over to the side of the road, bought a live goat, put the goat in the back of the SUV and drove home.  Goat showed up on the menu for our evening barbecue with our friends from UNHCR that evening.  Similarly the cooks buy chickens that run around the yard for a few days and then turn up as dinner.  The food here is good, all homemade bread, with very little that is not cooked from scratch. The oranges and grapefruits are green and a bit less sweet. Avocados, bananas and pineapple are wonderful!  Can't wait for mango season.