Health project: helping with construction of the new youth centre in Shimoni
On the way
to the dispensary this week, Kopa and I noticed the new youth center was coming
along very nicely, but what’s this, no one to wheel-barrow the coral rocks needed for the concrete floor? Well we weren’t going to just let that slide.
Shaun Avis - Health project volunteer
Luckily it was a very quiet day at the
dispensary so Kopa and I could go and see if they needed a hand. We went back
and forth from the top of the hill and picked up the coral rocks and wheeled
them back down to the youth center. Although it was only an hour and a bit of
work the sweat was definitely freely flowing and the Public Health Minister was
enjoying ordering us each time we came back to get another wheel-barrow full.
A Youth Center is a much needed addition to
the Shimoni community, with next to no areas for the youth to get together and
have a bit of safe fun. The centre will also be used as a community hall and
will be available for renting by the community in which all money will be put
back into the community for development purposes.
As
part of an addition to the health system the youth center will be used as a
consult room for the public dispensary clients. ARV (anti-retroviral) therapy
is also a large part of the work done at the public dispensary to treat the
symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS. When ARV therapy, as with most anti-viral
therapies, is administered it can have similar side effects to that of
chemotherapy. The side effects for chemotherapy are common and can sometimes be
very debilitating. The new youth center will be a place for public dispensary
(public health) clients can receive ARV therapy in a more private setting, in
which not all the community will witness. I think this is a great idea, seeing
the side effects of anti-viral medications (as well as chemotherapy) first hand
in some of the hospitals that I have worked in, I know that no patient would
want to be left in the waiting room with drugs pumping through their arms,
hands, CVC’s, portacaff’s etc. etc. while being the main act of associated
negative symptoms for all the public to see.
Shaun Avis - Health project volunteer
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