Outpatient Clinic

Every day except Sunday, around 100 patients line up just inside the main entrance and are seen at 7:30 AM for "triage". The patients are seen briefly, in order, and assigned one of three statuses that determine whether they are sent to the emergency area (orange), seen in clinic that day (yellow), or must wait to be seen (green). Some "green" patients will end up being seen later in the day while others must wait for the next day....it depends on how many medical provides are working in clinic that day. 

Susie at the guard house, just before triage begins.

Dave learning the triage system.

 

Patients walk from the triage area to the registration desk where they are entered into the
computer system, pay a small fee, and given a "carnet" which is a small booklet where brief
medical notes and prescriptions are written. Patients carry the carnet with them while a
more detailed chart stays at the clinic. Sylvie, one of the registration clerks,  was my translator 10 years ago at the southern Togo hospital!

Many of the patients are children with fever, diarrhea, cough, etc. Most have testing including a blood

count and a  GE (goutte epaisse) which is a malaria slide. Some may also have a chest xray or stool examination. Thankfully, most do well with malaria meds, antibiotics, tylenol, and worm medicine.

                             Below are some children seen today.

It never ceases to amaze us how patient and grateful that people are, waiting long hours in the intense heat to be seen!!