Kijabe Hospital--numbers and names

Numbers:

• 265 beds (many in the hallways)
• 11,000 in-patients in 2009
• 350 out-patient visits per day
• 40 Kenyan hospitals obtain pathology services from Kijabe Hospital (KH)
• 5 operating rooms; 9000 surgeries in 2009
• 24-inches--about the average spacing between beds
• 10 babies per day born in KH
• $80 for a CT scan
• 600 staff; 35-40 doctors (1/2 half expat's, 1/2 East Africans), 160 nurses
• 30-35 graduates each year from their nursing program

Names:

• Dr. Jerry. Since retiring 10 years ago, he and his wife have spent 3 months each year volunteering at the hospital. He's a pathologist. She entertains children in the pediatrics ward with crafts and games.
  
• Dr. Charlie. After serving at KH for several years, he's now involved in administration and is the only expat serving on the board. In the midst of visiting his home and enjoying tea and cucumber sandwiches (they're British, after all), he fielded a call asking about payment terms for a young boy flown in from Somalia for treatment of a gunshot wound--a glimpse of his responsibilities. (They are treating this 9-year old, both for his immediate wounds and with follow-up plastic surgery to repair his face.)


• Dr. Mark. He's an anesthesiologist who has worked at KH since 1997. His focus has shifted from patient care to training. Kenya has an acute shortage of anesthesiologists. Mark began training nurses in this practice and his second class of 15 finished this February. A terrific accomplishment, but it was Mark's obvious compassion for patients that impressed me the most. As he gave us a tour of the hospital, he continually placed his hand on one shoulder after another while speaking comforting words (in Swahili, but you could hear the kindness in his voice). He's pictured in the black and white photo, above.