£1,000

In poorer Africa everyone lives in debt and any goods or money that appear are shared around the community for immediate use. Wealthy people are shunned as hoarders.

Yesterday morning some members of the visiting Rotary Club offered us £1,000 to buy equipment in the theatre. For interest I asked the five staff what they felt we use it on. They were stunned into silence, shocked that I should have mentioned such wealth (they earn £2 per day). Eventually the anaesthetic nurse, who earns 10 times as much (and therefore feels uncomfortable about discussions on money) said in complete seriousness, “You should give a bonus to each of the staff to motivate them.” (Never mind the motivation of the 50 other hospital staff!).

In fact I am putting in a request to Mercy Ships to start replacing the 4 sets of fistula instruments I use, which are elderly and sub optimal, and will deteriorate with time and use. These will hopefully benefit patients for years to come.