Note from Rwanda

From Kashif Khan:


Dear Friends,

Muraho! I am in Rwanda.

I work with Partners In Health and with the Rwandan Ministry of Health,
mostly throughout the District of Burera (northern Rwanda). Butaro Hospital
in Burera District is located in an absolutely stunning place amongst lush
hills and valleys. It's been beautiful weather nearly every day. At just
under 7,000 feet, the air is crisp and there are no skeeters to speak of.
Hikes are common. What is less common is a spirited futbol match between
the hospital and the Rwandan Military. Yeah, I played. There were
approximately 700-800 people crammed around the wildly uneven playing
field. It was glorious. We lost 4-2. It's about building friendly
relations, what? (Sorry that slipped out - I'm reading some P.G.
Wodehouse).

When not performing rigorous calisthenics prior to hikes and futbol, I help
to set up and run a nutrition program in a district of 14 health centers.
This involves coordination of various programs, including financing,
procurement, storage, distribution of food packets to health centers, supply
chain management, ensuring delivery of food packets to people who fit
certain criteria for malnutrition, reporting back to various organizations,
among other things.

I am conducting a video project which will illustrate - I hope - the
motivations of, and challenges faced by, health care workers, students, and
researchers (Rwandan and expat) as they pursue the work of health care
delivery in a resource poor setting.

I am working on a couple research papers evaluating the success of certain
models of health care delivery.

And, I am gaining some clinical experience, rounding with doctors here and
observing surgical procedures - c-section and tubal ligation thus far! I am
getting a good handle on my vasovagal issues. I know, I surprised myself a
little.

It's been simply an amazing privilege to work on the difficult problems of
the creating, doing, and making that successful implementation requires as
well as evaluation of projects. Everyone has welcomed me onto the wonderful
team here. I'm eating a lot of rice and beans. And I'm learning a few
phrases in Kinyarwanda.

I hope you are well. I would love to hear how you are doing!

More to come...


Jambaho (fist bump of solidarity),

kashif