Maimouna shakes my hand and hugs me. She recently consulted me and since the treatment her deaf ear has healed: she can hear again. Now she’s come with her neighbors for a two-day campaign of free consultation and screening at the clinic in North Senegal.
As a team we are prepared to see about 200 patients a day, but we have no idea how many we can expect exactly. Since the death of Dr. Soh, the founder of the clinic, the number of patients decreased substansial. To our surprise, at 8:00 am there are already 150 patients waiting under the straw roofing outside the hospital. At the end of the weekend 400 patients are registered. A radio message but especially the word of mouth have proven to be very effective in the nomad village of Dahra.
For the occasion, we have gathered doctors and nurses out of our network. Dr. Soh’s nephew and niece are also helping. Some Fula brothers voluntarily help with logistics. Adults are screened for high blood pressure and diabetes. Women can be checked for cervical cancer, free of charge. We also select patients with cataracts, for whom referral is made to Mercy Ships for free cataract surgery. A group of enthusiastic trainee dentists provides basic dental care and are pulling out painful molars. In the waiting room we inform people about common diseases. Also, some history and vision of the clinic is explained. Several patients share their memories of Dr. Soh and their testimonials.
All in all, two days full of care and meetings. We hope and pray that the clinic will remain a place that nomads from the North will trust, so that they will also meet the God from whom Dr. Soh received the calling and love to serve them.
