My First Day at the Clinic

I know this is so silly, but I’ve been feeling very apprehensive to go out into my community, even to do things like buy flour and check my mailbox. I think it’s a fear of awkward situations (there has to be a phobia name for that - Lindsay and Meg Nat, you probably know). But today, I woke up and said, “Tess, you are going to go to the clinic today and introduce yourself.” And I did!


The nurses were so nice and welcoming. I met the head nurse and right after I introduced myself she said with a huge smile, “Yes, we can use help.” Simple as that. I got a tour of the clinic before settling in to observe the ARV and PMTCT* counselors, and it is a beautiful facility for such a small village. It is actually more of a mini-hospital, and it even has a whole maternity wing! (Keep in mind that I speak on a Botswana scale – so by “wing,” I mean there are two rooms in a hallway. But that’s way more than I expected!) What made me even happier is that every room was spotlessly clean and the workers were all efficient and friendly.

Wednesdays are “ARV Day,” meaning that people in the community and surrounding villages come to the clinic to receive their Anti-RetroViral Treatment (hence ARVs). The waiting room was filled with people, and I think it was one of the first times the high prevalence rate of HIV clicked in my mind. These people are my neighbors, my colleagues, and my community. Since I am based in the school, it was saddening to know that students of mine have to come every week to get medication. One of the counselors was telling me that the younger patients often get frustrated and angry at their parents for passing HIV to them, and thus do not take their medication, which ultimately hurts them even more.
At the same time though, I felt proud to be a part of my community today. So many people are taking responsibility for their status, and working to be healthy, contributing members to society despite being HIV positive. The great majority of patients have a viral load of less than 400, and a CD4 count well above 250 (in layman’s terms: they’re very far from being diagnosed with AIDS). Also, due to the strong PMTCT program, only two babies were born positive this year. Yes, it’s tragic that they are HIV positive from birth, but only two babies. That is such an achievement.

Next week I’ll be returning on Wednesday to help with ARV day again, and hopefully as I understand protocol within the clinic, I can take on other jobs. I would love to start a nutrition initiative to ensure that PLWHA* stay healthy and strong.

Oh, and after I left the clinic I went and bought flour, and it wasn’t even scary! With this success under my belt, who knows what tomorrow will bring. ;-)


“Doing little things well is a step toward doing big things better.” - Harry F. Banks



*PMTCT: Pregnant Mother To Child Transmission. A huge issue contributing to the prevalence of HIV was pregnant mothers passing the disease to their children either during childbirth or through breastfeeding. Botswana has created a very strong program throughout the country, and rates of transmission in this way are now very low.

*PLWHA: People Living With HIV/AIDS.