*IF YOU EVER VISIT THE HOSPITAL*
One of the numerous things I love about Africans is our utmost regard for community.
In our setting, everybody cares about everybody.
In a sense, it makes life worth living.
You tend to see this in health, but accentuated when loved ones celebrate events; fall sick or die.
The hospitals as such, are not exempt from this phenomenon, as you see people troop into hospitals for myriad reasons.
Below is a partial list of do's and don'ts:
**DO'S*
1. KEEP YOUR HANDS IN YOUR POCKET.
It could be tempting sometimes, but when you visit a hospital, PLEASE DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING- staircase, waste bins, windows, screens... Name it!
The hospital is a supremely dirty and contaminated place.
Bodily fluids[Blood, urine, ascitic fluid etc] have no brains, and as such won't spare you if they carry disease-causing agents.
Minimal contact is the rule.
Ensure not to leave with what you never came with.
2. WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE LEAVING.
Whether you mistakenly touched or not, ensure to wash your hands to avoid displacing some of these notorious germs.
A hand wash does no harms too.
3. MAKE IT BRIEF
The longer you stay on the wards, the more the chances of leaving with or transferring pathogens.
Keep it brief!
4. KEEP THE THE HOSPITAL CLEAN.
It seems people think the hospital is nobody's home but even if it ain't, common sense teaches that we do better.
Keep our hospitals clean.
5. KNOW THE DON'TS
**DON'TS*
1. DO NOT DISTURB.
The hospital houses the sick, the best you do is shout, run, laugh out loud?
For God's sake, I'm sure you could do better!
2. DON'T COME EMPTY-HANDED.
Sometimes, one cannot help but wish all those who visit patients come along with something for those they are visiting.
You could even go a tad further.
Instead, some people even visit so as to eat the excess brought by others.
I'm sure we could do better.
3. BRING NO KIDS.
Please, even if they enter the facility, ensure they don't enter the wards.
Their immune system is not as strong.
Any other thing to the left could end up being utter disservice to these innocent ones.
4. REDUCE THE VOLUME OF PRAYERS.
The Christian brethren- though not exclusive- are more culpable of this particular one.
[No offense intended]
Truth is, long on-the-knee ministry is the secret of short open ministrations.
You should do the long prayers in the secret place. When in the hospital, just discharge!
It's high time we comported ourselves with decorum worthy of whoever we claim to believe in.
Prayers have no barriers.
God can answer even if you are a million miles away.
5. NEVER HARASS THE PERSONNEL.
This is one of those things alien to us.
Never forget to communicate. No need for arguments, shouts, insults or the like.
[A big thumbs up to my northern brothers]
The health workers are human too.
They are committed to serving you; the least you can do is to encourage them.
I just said, encourage em;
Please pray for them too.
They do everything they do at the risk of their health and sanity.
PRAY FOR THEM.
Dr. Victor Gana