Judith is a farmer at Ndaula who lives in a mud-brick house with a grass roof. She owns a bicycle and one chicken. Her home is 40 minutes from the nearest health center and also 40 minutes from the nearest source of electricity, which is a barber shop near her community. She collects water from a nearby borehole for use at home. Ndaula is located near Dzalanyama Forest Reserve on the Mozambique border with Malawi, which is a long distance on difficult roads from any of the referral centers.
Judith reports that her community receives annual visits from a health worker focusing on issues of sanitation. However, she reports a lack of mosquito nets in the community as a major health challenge.
Three years ago, Judith began experiencing pain when swallowing and frequent headaches due to a parotid tumor growing on the side of her neck. She went to a private hospital about an hour away to seek treatment but was told that there was no surgeon available. She then went to a traditional healer but nothing changed.
Judith was unable to receive treatment through Malawi’s healthcare system because many community health centers are not following referral procedures due to lack of capacity and/or being over-burdened with emergency cases.
Next, she visited her nearest health center, Ndaula Health Center, four different times seeking help for the condition, but they also had no surgeon and didn’t refer her anywhere else. Luckily, on Judith’s fourth visit, the in-charge at Ndaula recommended she attend AHA’s surgical camp! The in-charge had previously been stationed at Malembo Health Center, which is part of Kabudula’s catchment area, and had seen the success of AHA’s programs. He arranged for many Ndaula patients, including Judith, to be included in AHA’s June surgical camp.
On the day Judith had been told to report for surgery, she rode her bicycle to Ndaula Health Center early in the morning to meet the AHA-supported ambulance. There, she and other patients were picked up for the drive to Kabudula. AHA sponsors ambulance trips because transportation is one of the most comment barriers our patients face when seeking care.
Judith spent the morning at Kabudula until it was her turn for surgery. When she was done, she was immediately pleased with the results and reported a positive experience and very little pain. All patients from Ndaula took an AHA-sponsored ambulance ride home both happy and healthy, thankful that AHA provides transportation for patients from distant areas.
“Please continue to support the local surgical program at Kabudula, and transportation for rural patients!!!”
-Judith, 2022 surgical patient