Chisang Clinic sees many patients, old and young, that need wounds taking care of. Some of these are minor things that, in England, would probably be sorted out by making sure they're clean, some germolene and a plaster. Some of them are more serious and would probably go up to A&E in England.
One such boy came in a few days ago. He came in limping, so it became apparent there was something wrong with his leg / foot. However, only when he sat down did we see the wound. On the back of his ankle was a cut about 2cm long and 2cm wide that had cut away the skin so that it came loose in a flap - a sheet of tin had apparently fallen and cut open the back of his ankle. It didn't look pleasant.
He seemed fairly cheerful about it until we started cleaning it. First with saline and then with iodine it was clearly a very painful procedure for him due to the depth of the cut. It didn't help that due to the awkwardness of getting to the back of the heel he was kneeling on a chair as I'm sure he must have been feeling slightly faint and sick. It is vitally important to keep wounds clean here and it is not as easy as it is at home. Therefore wounds are cleaned and then covered with iodine ointment, which is waterproof, to prevent infection.
One of the biggest contrasts that I have noticed in Nepal compared to England is how people react to injuries. Admittedly, I haven't done much wound care in England as I haven't completed my A&E attachment but children in GP surgeries scream at the idea of having their chest listened to. Here, people put up with what must be quite painful procedures with barely any fuss. This doesn't just apply to older people but to many of the children as well. I think they are aware that they are at the clinic because they need to be, rather than many of the children that are at the GP surgery because their parents are double checking. Therefore they know it is necessary and so put up with it much more stoically.
I was very glad for this boy's sake when the wound was clean and the bandage on although his limp did seem much more serious after it had been bandaged! It did mean his mum got a bike to take him home which, given the look of the wound, seemed fully justified.
One such boy came in a few days ago. He came in limping, so it became apparent there was something wrong with his leg / foot. However, only when he sat down did we see the wound. On the back of his ankle was a cut about 2cm long and 2cm wide that had cut away the skin so that it came loose in a flap - a sheet of tin had apparently fallen and cut open the back of his ankle. It didn't look pleasant.
He seemed fairly cheerful about it until we started cleaning it. First with saline and then with iodine it was clearly a very painful procedure for him due to the depth of the cut. It didn't help that due to the awkwardness of getting to the back of the heel he was kneeling on a chair as I'm sure he must have been feeling slightly faint and sick. It is vitally important to keep wounds clean here and it is not as easy as it is at home. Therefore wounds are cleaned and then covered with iodine ointment, which is waterproof, to prevent infection.
One of the biggest contrasts that I have noticed in Nepal compared to England is how people react to injuries. Admittedly, I haven't done much wound care in England as I haven't completed my A&E attachment but children in GP surgeries scream at the idea of having their chest listened to. Here, people put up with what must be quite painful procedures with barely any fuss. This doesn't just apply to older people but to many of the children as well. I think they are aware that they are at the clinic because they need to be, rather than many of the children that are at the GP surgery because their parents are double checking. Therefore they know it is necessary and so put up with it much more stoically.
I was very glad for this boy's sake when the wound was clean and the bandage on although his limp did seem much more serious after it had been bandaged! It did mean his mum got a bike to take him home which, given the look of the wound, seemed fully justified.
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