Just a brief post after my first day in Addis.
My journey to Addis was long. The direct flight from Dulles was delayed almost 12 hours because of a severe winter storm in Europe. The silver lining to the delay was that I met five emergency room physicians from Toronto who were on there way to Tikur Anbessa to train residents and fellows.
I arrived at Bole airport around 7:30 p.m. local time. Immigration was fine. Customs was more interesting. I was carrying over sixty pounds of medical gear including a lot of hardware to improve the oxygen delivery capabilities in the nursery. Having x-rayed my bag they wanted to know how the drill bits, molly bolts, and stainless connectors were going to be used. Inside my suitcase they also found about twenty-five self inflating resuscitation bags with manometers. When I explained they were going to be used at Tikur Anbessa, they softened and cleared me through without adding additional custom fees.
A driver delivered me to the University Guest House along with two of the ER physicians and with the light of my cellphone we found the apartment. The water was not running at the time of my arrival but came on around 4 a.m. which actually was a pleasant alarm clock.
A driver took me to the hospital at 7:30 a.m. and I met the fellows and some of the peds residents and attendings.
The nursery was in the process of being moved from the sixth to the seventh floor for remodeling so my clinical adventures really haven't begun.
Everyone I meet is amazingly warm and friendly and despite the extreme poverty which is apparent everywhere. I am becoming comfortable.
After resting for an hour at the apartment, I headed to the Addis Golf Club to get an inexpensive meal and free internet access. I needed directions from three people. The last was from a young man who walked me to the entrance. He told me he hopes to study in the US some day and gave me his phone number,
I've include a photo from Thomas Eusterbrock who worked here during the month of January.
My journey to Addis was long. The direct flight from Dulles was delayed almost 12 hours because of a severe winter storm in Europe. The silver lining to the delay was that I met five emergency room physicians from Toronto who were on there way to Tikur Anbessa to train residents and fellows.
I arrived at Bole airport around 7:30 p.m. local time. Immigration was fine. Customs was more interesting. I was carrying over sixty pounds of medical gear including a lot of hardware to improve the oxygen delivery capabilities in the nursery. Having x-rayed my bag they wanted to know how the drill bits, molly bolts, and stainless connectors were going to be used. Inside my suitcase they also found about twenty-five self inflating resuscitation bags with manometers. When I explained they were going to be used at Tikur Anbessa, they softened and cleared me through without adding additional custom fees.
A driver delivered me to the University Guest House along with two of the ER physicians and with the light of my cellphone we found the apartment. The water was not running at the time of my arrival but came on around 4 a.m. which actually was a pleasant alarm clock.
A driver took me to the hospital at 7:30 a.m. and I met the fellows and some of the peds residents and attendings.
The nursery was in the process of being moved from the sixth to the seventh floor for remodeling so my clinical adventures really haven't begun.
Everyone I meet is amazingly warm and friendly and despite the extreme poverty which is apparent everywhere. I am becoming comfortable.
After resting for an hour at the apartment, I headed to the Addis Golf Club to get an inexpensive meal and free internet access. I needed directions from three people. The last was from a young man who walked me to the entrance. He told me he hopes to study in the US some day and gave me his phone number,
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