Rumah Sakit

We just got back from the “Rumah Sakit” or, literally, the Sick House (Hospital) here in town. The trip to the hospital was our cultural excursion for the week. We started at the emergency room (the new wing, opened last month), talked to a doctor and someone else in a uniform (they love uniforms here – everyone has one!). We were told that there were many accidents every day and that many of them involve cars and motorbikes (not a surprise). They can arrive at the hospital alone, via bus or other public transportation, or via ambulance. They then go into the triage area where it’s determined what their needs are. They have an x-ray machine and a surgery room right there in the emergency room. They also have 3 rooms people can stay in overnight if the other wing of the hospital is full. They also have an outpatient clinic on the 4th floor.

They have 3 levels of hospital rooms available to choose from if you’re admitted – 1st class, 2nd class & 3rd class. First class is also called VIP and is used by politicians and business men, as well as foreigners. Right now the VIP wing has many people suffering from dengue fever. The VIP wing is obviously the closest to what we’d be used to at home, though still not the same level of sterility.

Here if a loved one is in the hospital, you stay with them, bring them food to eat and so on. There are people sitting around all over the hospital, either waiting for treatment or watching out for loved ones. Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between them. I have heard that the medical system here is about 20 years behind ours at home, so that is a bit scary to think about. They still deliver babies on the hard metal table here, and the husband isn’t usually present.
Anyway, all of that to say, I sure don’t want to get sick here – at least not sick enough to go to the hospital. Please continue to pray for our health and safety, especially when we're on the road on our motorbikes with the kids. Thanks!

This last photo is one I took in the old emergency room (used until last month) - a list of instruments needed for surgery - how many of each type and size. Scary - the room had windows on top that were open to the outside of the building (not even screened) and actually had huge windows that you could view the surgery from the outside of the room/outside of the building.