The Halfway Mark

We've successfully reached halfway on the Village Health Worker (VHW) training course, hooray 😃! We're at the end of week 5, just 5 more to go, and the last 2 of those are their practicum out in a clinic somewhere around Vanuatu. Some will go to clinics around Efate, and others will have to fly to Santo, Malekula or Tanna so that there are enough clinics to go around for them all to get some good experience.

My last entry was about the tippy taps and fly traps. 3 out of 4 of the taps are still standing and being used most days. They are a source of much interest whenever we have visitors to Korvan. The fly traps were moderately successful, catching a few flies even though there are not many around at the moment. It was a disgusting job having to empty them though! (I get all the best ones on this course 😆). 

There has been plenty happening in the classroom since then. PCV's own Terekea Kaltabang, the Disaster Risk Co-ordinator, came and gave a very interacative class about preparing for disasters of various types and how to react after one happens.

The Disaster Risk Reduction Cycle (note the laminated cards made by yours truly).

Elder Richard Tatwin, PCV Health Secretary, suggested that we visit their clinic and we thought that was a great idea. Nicola and I took groups of approx 10 down in rotation so everyone could fit in and have a good look around. Fortunately it is an easy 10 minute walk from Korvan to PCV Health.

Here PCV Health eye care worker Sarafina is telling a group of students about the assessment of patients for reading glasses and screening for eye diseases which must be referred to the hospital. Prescription glasses can be made at the clinic when all the machinery is functioning as it should.

Here PCV Health dental care worker Morinda (right at the back) is showing students one of the 2 dental treatment rooms.

Because I am away in NZ for 2 weeks, it has been a scramble to get all the resources prepared ahead of time so that Judy and Nicola can keep up the great work they are doing in the classroom. Modules on First Aid, Common Diseases and Immunisation are happening while I'm away.

Remember that store room we cleaned out and which was looking pristine? It didn't take long for the termites and geckos to mess it up again. The borer bomb was obviously not effective on them. This is why I am reluctant to store any of our resources in there until we can either get the plywood shelving treated to rid them of termites, or get several large plastic boxes to keep everything in.

Another challenge is  the uncooperative lock on the other resource room door -

keep trying Nicola!