Last day at the hospitalito

Well folks, this is the end of a very long, challenging and highly successful week. It has been one of the most satisfying things I have ever done. Today Henry and I finished up our week's work and went home spent.
So what exactly did we achieve in the previous five, very full days? Read on...

This is a list of the equipment we have verified/repaired from the storeroom of unchecked, donated equipment. We managed to get through the lot!

5 x aspirators
7 x nebulisers
2 x Sullivan V constant positive airway pressure units
3 x Baxter infusion pumps
2 x pulse oximeters
1 x Genius tympanic thermometer
1 x ATS tourniquet system
1 x sequential compression device
3 x Valleylab Force 2 electrosurgical units
1 x Datex Capnomac Ultima
2 x oxygen concentrators

This is a list of the 'in use' equipment we verified as OK.

1 x Philips Merlin monitor with non-invasive blood pressure & ECG
4 x pulse oximeters
1 x Dinamap non-invasive blood pressure monitor
1 x Ohmeda Ohio infant warmer
2 x cardio-toco graphs
2 x anaesthetic machines/ventilators
2 x Valleylab Force 2 electro surgical units
8 x Welch Allyn wall-mounted diagnostic units
1 x Lifepak 7 defibrillator
3 x 'Hungwa' non-invasive blood pressure monitors
1 x infant transport incubator
4 x wall-mounted sphygmomanometers

While this was going on the 'engineering' boys knocked together some shelves for the 'new' equipment. Today we put all the gear on the shelves and made an inventory. I also wrote some 'check sheets' so that Henry could verify the stuff on a regular basis. I wrote them in spanglish and henry is going to rewrite them correctly. The hospitalito is really lucky to have him. I know I've said it before but he is a switched on guy. And he donated his entire week this week to learn about this stuff. He is not employed by the hospitalito so he lost a weeks worth of money to do this!

Tomorrow I travel back to Xela to continue my project with Alterna and I am pretty sure that next week will see the end of that project too, so the timing is pretty good. And on the following Saturday Chris arrives in Guatemala. Woohoo! Schwing!!

Lots of photos this time so apologies for the long downloads you will have.



Climbed onto the roof of the hospitalito to take these photos. Apparently it is not an OHS issue here ;-) this is looking north.



This is looking east.



This is looking south



This is looking west. That is Volcán San Pedro.



These are two of the 6 solar hot water systems (on the right) and there are 8 solar electric panels (on the left). They have boxes downstairs containing another 700 panels that will provide 28kVA when installed. Another big project.



This is pathology... One scientist and about 6 bits of equipment.



Emergency department



Maternity



Medical imaging



Laundry



Shelves with 'new' equipment



And this is the team. Me and Henry (of course) and Lyn ( the lady who has been my contact for the months leading up to being here). Lyn is like the motor for this place, she never stops.



These guys run a little take away shack called Las Lagartijas (the little lizards). They make the most yummy burritos, tacos, falafels, etc from this little 'swamp people' type shack. They are originally from California and everything is organic and fresh. Really, really yummy!



Of course, some things you can't escape.



And finally, just to prove where I am. Tuc tuc and all!

Location:Santiago Atitlán