Every day starts with unpredictable number of patients more worrying the overwhelming emergencies. In a country where gender equality is still a concealed vocabulary under search and research, women bear the plight the faults of the war. At In deed and truth ministries we try to provide not just treatment but care. May be one might ask, what are the issues that face the women (and obviously children) that make southern Sudan unique? Here is an example.
On this Tuesday morning, as a routine we pray to God to bless our works of the day especially in the clinic for the unpredictable emergencies. At around 2 pm, after attending to over 80 patients, majority being children hardly accompanied by their fathers or male relatives, I stand from my seat with a breath of sigh ready to check what the table has for lunch. Immediately I hit the door, my attention is engulfed by a multitude of people carrying a sick patient. As we support the patient to the bed, the history we are given is about drug poisoning due to a domestic quarrel with a co-wife and since women are seen inferior and obviously denied their freedom of expression, the sick woman aged about 20, decides to sought attention by taking her own prescription-the devils prescription-hair dye, which she drunk generously. What a pity for the lady as she groan and roll in agony. Thank God that her medical condition is manageable but what about her social problem? That’s the care I mentioned earlier- counseling and follow-up.
This being one of the many daily issues affecting women and obviously children in this region, it even speaks for itself clearly when the husband, a ‘big’ man in the army visits her at hospital about 2 hours later. Astonishment is what I try to hide from my face when am told he has over 30 wives most of which were the many caretakers who brought the lady to hospital. One of the translators appears in haste and reports to me that there’s a child at the waiting bay with bizarre behavior. Am immediately interrupted and order for the child to be brought in.
Another emergency! A 3 years old boy who went from home to unknown place to play and came back with drooling of saliva, anxiety behaviors and excessive sweating. The accompanying mother does not know where and whom the child was playing with. Neither does she have an idea of what the child might have swallowed. On examination I realize it is organophosphate poisoning (characterized by increased body secretions, progressive dehydration and shock). The child is in shock. Thank God who made our resuscitation and treatment successful for both the coincidental poisoning cases .
In Southern Sudan, women face a daunting task to provide for their children and husbands independently. Their frustrations to put a hot plate on the table everyday keeps them away from their children posing a danger to the young ones. Despite their hard work, they meet frosty treatment us limited freedom of expression. They therefore seek other options to get attention such as hysteria and worse of all suicidal attempts. It will take many years of indefatigable support for the lives of the two parties (children and women) to improve.
