Mobile Clinic

Gatithi Medical Clinic

This week, both Christina and I were able to help out with the HIV mobile clinic. Basically it is like the Comprehensive Care Clinic that has been loaded into a land rover. On the day we helped out we stopped at Gatithi, a small town about 30 minutes outside of Tumutumu. There is a small clinic there that is still under construction. There we unpacked large boxes of medications, patient files, equipment, and other various paperwork. We even took our own table and chairs.

The idea of the mobile clinic is to create a satellite of the CCC that is more accessible to the patient population. Even though Tumutumu is only a 30 minute drive, many people do not have cars and do not have the money to pay for the matatu to the hospital. Without this service, many of the people would be non-compliant with their medication regiment, an act that would not only be dangerous for them, but also for the rest of the community.

The people walk from their homes to the clinic and line up hours before the team arrives. The patients check in with a nurse who weighs them, takes their vital signs, counts their pills, and provides teaching on their medications. Education is really stressed and patients are expected to know what medications they are taking and at what times. The nursing staff is fairly aggressive and will chastise those patients who fail the quiz.

From there, the patients see the doctor and describe any symptoms they might be having. Mostly the patients were complaint free, but occasionally we would treat a simple upper respiratory or skin infection. There were also a variety of muscle and joint complaints although no seriously ill patients. After seeing the physician, the patient goes to the mobile pharmacy and picks up their HIV medication and any other antibiotic or pain medication prescribed. This is where Christina worked and it kept her pretty busy. The pharmacist provides further counseling and education on their medications. Again, all the anti-retroviral medications, multivitamins, and antibiotics are free to the patients and provided by USAID.

The mobile clinic is a great addition to the CCC and an invaluable resource to the patients it serves. We saw about 50 patients, many of which were either pediatric or elderly and would not have the time or the energy to get their badly needed medication. It was also a great opportunity for Christina and me to see the patients out in the community and to see the patients in their home environment. The poverty was sobering. There were fewer nice suits and dresses, which you see a lot of at Tumutumu, and more tattered, second-hand clothing (one 45 year old gentleman had an "Ohio State Grandma" sweatshirt). It was a chance to reach out to the community at large and witness their daily struggle first hand.

Matthew and a Medical Officer evaluating a patient.

Patients waiting to be seen.

Patient signing a compliance contract stating that he understands the medications being prescribed and will take the medications.