Global Poverty Monitor

We then traveled to Chitima and went to the Chitima Health Center. Once again I had no idea what to expect. The only other similar hospital I have seen is the HIV/AIDS day hospital in Maputo, but I had no idea if a general hospital in Chitima would be similar. When we got there, I noticed that there were large groups of people sitting to standing around outside the hospital, some with small children and babies, others without. We were then told that these people wait outside the hospital because it is too hot for them inside. Serena and I walked amongst the group, and played the ever-popular photo game with a group of adult women. Then we went inside. We saw a doctor’s office, just like the GP’s office that we are used to in Australia, where patients are assessed. We saw a maternity ward, which had two young women, each with a baby.

I gave each of the women a necklace, and they both wanted to wear them straight away. I took their photos, and they both seemed happy. Obviously were there for a reason – something wrong with their babies, but they seemed hopeful.