Medical Update 25 January 2014
Our amazing day started early at 6am before the sun was up when our team of volunteers met for the 3 hour drive to Palu U Noi village. Everyone commented on how cool it was and we were glad to have packed extra jumpers.
Our core team of volunteers as usual was made up of our nurse, doctor and osteopath with an assessment team of other wonderful volunteers. This time we were very fortunate to have additional translators to help us which allowed us to carry out several assessments at the same time. There were occasions in the past, when Jungle Aid was just getting started, that people had to wait up to five hours to see a medic with a translator! We are so proud of everyone of our supporters and volunteers who help us go from strength to strength.
Our two trucks which were loaded up with donated clothes, shoes and rice arrived at the village around breakfast time. Our journey was easier than on previous visits as the ground was hard and the three rivers we had to cross were all quite low due to the lack of rain for the past couple of months.
When we arrived 30 patients we’re waiting to be seen by our team who are the only medical professionals that reach this remote village. Our youngest patient that day was a new born baby just one week old.
Each of the patients was seen individually with the help of our wonderful translators. We saw illnesses that such as coughs and colds through to life threatening mouth and prostate cancer.
On this visit we saw a new man, Mu Dway who is only 45 and has cancer in his mouth. We were able to get his details and refer him to Operation Smile. Operation Smile, which carries out facial and oral surgery for disease and disfigurement in Thailand will see him for an assessment at the end of February and may hopefully carry out surgery.
An assessment of the village facilities was also carried out by members of our team. Jungle Aid has sponsored the purchase and installation of 2,000 litre water tanks for the village. The water tanks have arrived and are just waiting to be installed, so very soon everyone will have access to clean drinking water. On our next visit the tanks should be fully operational.
Land issues were also discussed to help the village become more secure. Security is always an issue for the villages, and we want to do everything we can to ensure that these people feel safe. So this is something that we will be continually assessing in the coming months.
At the end of an amazing day all of the donated clothes were given out to men, women and children. These included wonderful hand knitted cardigans made by a local Hua Hin lady- just what is needed for the chilly weather we have had recently.
After every patient had been seen, including those who had travelled quite a distance to see us, our team of incredible volunteers started on the long journey back to Hua Hin, arriving back for a very welcoming hot shower.
Thank you to everyone who supports the work which we do.
Jungle Aid
Written by Emma Neve & Christine Pudge. Edited by Brett Worth.