There's a lot of talk about the best ways to improve health in a developing country. In the US, I thought long and hard about different methods of distributing healthcare resources, streamlining supply chains, and improving provider performance. But it's actually turning out to be a lot easier than I thought (at least at first!). Or at least hard in a different way.
Last week in an email entitled "this is so random but needed..." I was informed by the present healthcare program manager (Janine) of a bat infestation at the health center. I envisioned a few friendly bats (in my imagination they were cute and animated) peacefully residing in the rafters. Today, my assumptions were engulfed in a big fat mound of bad guano.
I was talking to Aerie, the Nuru small business manager, who was helping to keep inventory. He told me, "Some of the medicines are spoiled."
"You mean, 'expired,'" I corrected, flaunting my vast medical knowledge of proper pharmacological terminology.
"No, I mean spoiled. There's bats and rat feces all over them. There's expired meds, too."
Those little guys pooped all over the entire center (5 rooms). Not just a light layer, peppered on top. Literal mounds. The picture attached was taken in the pharmacy.
Improving healthcare is not that hard. The first step for me was not talking about innovative ways to improve performance through appropriate incentive schemes. The first step is making sure that there's not feces in the health center. But as I implied earlier, that presents its own set of challenges that I had not come prepared for: how not to get feces all over you while cleaning.
The center is getting remodeled and cleaned, so we have to get rid of the bats. How? Well, you'll have to wait to find out. The job is not yet done. There will certainly be a story tomorrow.
P.S. Gold Star to the first person to correctly identify the source of the title of this entry without Googleing it.
P.P.S. Facebook photo uploads are coming (probably Sunday). I do have more pictures than of bat guano.
Well . . . . . . Dad and I think the guano may have come from Batman (there's a line in Batman that says "I think we're in Bat country".) Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. All of your stragizing on how to improve the health system has come down to bat guano!! Who'd of thunk it??? Have you tried the bombs or plug in "varment get-ridderers". Do you have electricity in the health center? We're loving reading your adventures!! Keep it coming!!!
ReplyDeleteNah man - that comes from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. But I never would have guessed that Dave would watch that... It also reminds me of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, weren't there big bats there too?
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, good luck Dave and be/stay virtuous.
P.S. Safety is overrated.
What are you Ted, a pagan? We don't believe in luck! :P
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of Fear and Loathing. Though I don't doubt the Batman reference. Someone made me watch that movie (Ohio? Matt?) and that line's all I remember of it and thought it was at least literally appropriate.
There were indeed big bats in Temple of Doom. Oh Indy.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Booyah.
ReplyDeleteThat picture of the bat guano was disgusting!
ReplyDelete