September 8, 2017 · Mongu, Zambia
Hospital Holidays: Mongu, Zambia, in Africa completes the circuit. I have now received medical care on all the continents inhabited by humans, and not solely penguins.
This week with preventative brush burning in the Baroste Plain of Zambia, I found myself with dry throat and cough and other symptoms, enough of a bother to keep me from sleep. Driving to the hospital (where I had visited last week with Monde Litungi, and met her son Litu’ngi Nkhuwa aka Sam) I parked near the directory sign, to find my way to Admissions. This was not necessary, since Nkhuwa taking a lunch hour walk saw me getting out of the car and offered assistance.
From the car, we went directly to the ‘High Cost’ ($10) admissions window, which allows you to go directly to the doctor’s office and avoid the waiting room. As it turned out the doctor was not yet back from lunch, but another doctor, an Asian, was walking by. Since the Asians I had met in Mongu to date had been Chinese, I greeted him with ‘nǐ hǎo ma’, which was not taken so well. He said, ‘I am not Chinese’. I apologized and asked his nationality, and he shared he was Korean, to which I responded, ‘Cum sa me da, an yon say oh’ to which he returned the thank you. He then asked, why I was here, and I told him I was having head congestion. As it turned out, he was an ‘Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat’ doctor. Inviting me into his office, he examined me, reviewed my extensive medical history and medication list, wrote the prescriptions and provided me with a diagnosis.
From there we went to the pharmacy where my prescription was filled within minutes and at no cost. Along with this they were put into easy to read baggies, clearly showing number of tablets to take and timing. With my multi-continental experience I can now say, “the best prescription cost, distribution, and dosage instructions”, has occurred in Mongu, Zambia.
Nkhuwa stayed with me the whole time using up a good portion of his lunch hour, so I took him to lunch returning him on time to the accounting department where he could account for things without having to give account for his time.
With the diagnosis of a chest infection, I was assured I did not have the Tuberculosis warned about in one sign, and I avoided being cut short by avoiding the ‘Circumcision Clinic’.
While I was taken care of professionally, quickly and well, it appears one of the emergency vehicles from Czechoslovakia, needs intensive care.
As for my experience with medical care on all of the continents, I have received competent care everywhere. In Cuba, an emergency room visit and partial night stay $140. In Slovenian a 10 day stay including ICU, all needed x-rays, cardiograms, cardiac catheterization, medications etc. $500 (reimbursed by my Irish insurance). Chile $240 for x-rays, diagnosis, braces and exam for sprained ankle. India $15, podiatrist visit, medications, 4 therapy sessions and braces for sprained ankle. Ireland $0 spinal surgery, kidney stone stints and removal, ambulances, Heart emergency and ICU care on 3 occasions etc. Medications $150 per month. Insurance $75 per month. USA medications until I could get insurance $2000 per month. Insurance premium $600 month with Copays and deductibles. In Slovenia my copay, for out of plan was $0.97, and when I told them to keep the change, they did not and gave me the 3 cents. The only difference I have found in the medical care I have received is the cost.
Also of note, while doctors in the Western World no longer make house calls, the doctors who work at this hospital are housed on the hospital grounds.
