Waiting in line

 He waited in line for hours, sun shining down on him, an the heat of the day rising up. He waited patiently just to ask a question.
As he got to me, he was asked what was his  problem, what was wrong with him medically. I waited patiently as the translator asked the questions. Instead of replying with "I have a hernia, or I have a lump on my back". Instead he had waited in line to ask a question. He wanted know if we could operate on a woman who leaks urine all the time. I replied back, yes we can, They can come here and we will see her and hopefully give her an appointment to see the surgeon. He explained how the women is in a village a few hours away from Tamatave, but would bring her the week after.

A new week started in the screening centre, One morning I continued screening patients and asking them questions, The pre-screening had already been done outside. now we where inside screening the patients with more in depth questions, to see if we could offer them an appointment to see the surgeon. This women and man came to my area. As I started asking questions it was clear the women was suffering with VVF (Vesicovaginal fistula). After giving birth to her second child she started leaking urine. She had been in labour for 2 days and lost the baby through it. As I looked at the man next to her I realised I recognised him. I asked him if he had been in the line the week before. He replied yes and that this was his mum.

So he had waited in line for hours for his mum. He wanted his mum to get help and to get better. I was so glad I could give her an appointment. She will come to the ship, be screened by the surgeon and hopefully be admitted for surgery that will change her life.

The wards ready for the patients