The day began with breakfast at 7:30 AM. From there we traveled to the hospital in Xela where we were able to observe different departments such as the ICU, neonatal, sanitation, morgue, x-ray, and more. Within these departments we were tasked with taking inventory of medical equipment that was malfunctioning or completely broken. It was surprising to learn that some equipment is even donated already broken with no manual for repairs. A lot of problems are challenging for the regular staff simply because they are not trained for this task and/or unable to find the origin of the problem. The hospital itself is a public hospital and many people must wait in line to be seen. Also, many workers are only current medical students rather than certified doctors. This potentially causes problems since these students may not be as knowledgeable in the use of medical devices, which could cause some of the malfunctions. Another problem for the hospital is basic infrastructure, such as electricity. At one point we had to use cell phone flashlights to maneuver up the stairs. Air flow and ventilation throughout the hospital was also an issue, and the floors are not regularly cleaned.
We then left to eat lunch at Albamar. After returning to the hospital we were able to explore some more departments. Following our work, we returned to the hotel where we had a little free time to relax and then journeyed out to the market. We finished the day with dinner at Utz Hua. We wanted to go get some ice cream, but the shop was already closed. After that we all went back to the hotel to prepare for our work in the hospital tomorrow.
-Kevin and Brittany
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