Friday, February 1, 2013

The PINCC Team with trainees, last day at Kiambu District Hospital.

Final day in Kiambu

What a difference a few days make.  After a rocky start the PINCC team dug in. With four improvised exam rooms in full swing, Anne Daly, Eva Bryer, Deborah Crabbe and Art Levit took on a constantly changing group of trainees ranging from MDs to Nurses to Clinical Officers (sort of like our physicians assistants).  Some had never done an a pelvic exam, others were quite experienced.  By the end of the week the group had more or less stabilized and enthusiasm and commitment grew.  Carol, Laurie Jones and myself manned the desk and as word got out about the free screening, people poured in.  Predictably, chaos ensued as we struggled to register, interview, screen patients, and restock supplies in some sort of coherent manner.  By Friday the desk was a well oiled machine (relative to Monday). 
And miracles do happen-- a malfunctioning cryo tip was replaced the same day by the company supplier in Nairobi.
By Friday afternoon, thanks to the finely honed diplomacy skills of Carol and Art,  the hospital higher ups were on board and eager for another visit and more training with the hopes of setting up Cryo and LEEP treatment centers.  What a difference a few days make.