the days have been busy... the group of 15 or so new teachers have been shuttled (with warmth and welcoming kindness) through the routine of becoming an American employee in a 3rd world country. today was interesting, as we got past the logistics of internet and cell phone, electricity converters, etc. today we went to the foreigner's medical clinic. it is part of, and a major source of funding for, the ICDDRB or the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh. This notable research center includes a hospital, and the hospital treats more cases of cholera than any other worldwide. Moreover it provides free care to walk-in patients. A mistake was made this morning as we were herded through new construction at the hospital - our destination the foreigner's clinic. In the end we walked through the hospital wards and through the triage center, getting a close up view of all the patients and the kind of care they are getting. Mom please don't worry about me; I won't do that again and I washed my hands 5 times and am headed for a shower soon. In any case, the situation was extraordinarily moving and somewhat comforting - good care was being given to very sick, poor people. We saw something of how "the other half" lives and suffers and it was good to see. The new construction that will turn this hospital into a much larger facility is being funded by the British government. The United States government offered aid for this project, but with restrictions: the Mexico City agreement signed under this administration will not fund any facility that performs abortions or administers "morning after" contraception. The ICDDRB was not willing to be bound by the restrictions and so did not accept the U.S. donation. A British internal medicine physician gave us the foreigner's clinic orientation today, and assured us of our own care. We are glad that what money the clinic makes from the school's insurance coverage will go to this hospital's operations. Outside the hospital a huge tent had been constructed in the alleys with beds for treating the tens of overflow patients there. I didn't have my camera...
website: http://www.icddrb.org/
