Imagine……………………. and hard work

Just imagine you have heard that rabies has been found in your area, and that Hospital has been told to kill all dogs that stray into the grounds.

Imagine that in the village the way locals kill a suspect dog is far from quick and humane as they only have stones for weapons, and you’re not sure how the hospital plan to cull theirs. You feel that this is a false alarm, an unnecessary panic as although someone may have been bitten no one has suffered from more than the actual bite and no actual case of rabies has been confirmed; but you certainly wouldn’t want the risk of anyone getting bitten by a rabid dog. Imagine that as you hear this report an affectionate, loyal, friendly but determinedly free willed, old hospital dog called Stumpy is sleeping in your veranda. What do you do?

I certainly wish that imagining that scenario was all we had to do this week but unfortunately it actually happened. What did we do about Stumpy? Well, we let him stay in the veranda all night and then in the morning, much against his will, we put him in our fenced off garden, fed and watered him and hoped he would settle down happily for a few days until the panic was over. Two minutes latter he disappeared into the village; Houdini couldn’t have done a better job! He still returns in the morning and goes out at night. It’s as if he realises all the other dogs from the Hospital have disappeared and he is safer in the veranda during the day.

During the week Malcolm attended two important meetings. On Tuesday he sat on the interview panel for the hospitals new accountant. (Such is the prevalence of “Chinese whispers” here that a rumour immediately went round the hospital saying he had left, presumably they thought HE was having an interview!) After a long day the vacancy was offered to a promising and young candidate so hopefully when Malcolm leaves Mvumi there will be someone to carry on the work.

On Wednesday there was the first Board Meeting for the new Designated District Hospital, chaired by the Bishop and attended by representatives of the District Council. The meeting went well although the Principals of the Training schools would not be happy as they were instructed by the Bishop to manage the deductions of Income Tax from their allowances properly.

It was also the end of an era for Mvumi. John Clark, Headmaster of the Secondary School, returns to his job at Eton College next week and so it was a time for farewell, On Thursday the remaining ‘Mzungus’ (us, Dr. Corrie and Julia) had a last supper with John and two gap year students. A present for him was a video of John’s time in Mvumi, part of which covering the Secondary School has been posted on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MEu6_8bh6I&feature=channel

or search for thecrawfordclan.

We shall certainly miss him – but not just yet. On Friday we join him for a trip to Dar es Salaam, for a break on the beach before he flies to good old blighty on Tuesday.

For next week:

- we have a nice break in Dar es Salaam after a busy week in Mvumi

- Malcolm spends a day in Dar seeking evidence of a potential fraud and visiting the Ministry of Health

PS – cost of eggs update. No more cost, but no more eggs either!!! So still £43 for 16 eggs. Maybe they are roasters … they have been warned