Miles In Missions

Since I arrived in Egbe almost 3 years ago I have always been confused by the procedure for seeing a doctor in the OPD (Out Patient Department). In Africa the hospital process works a little different than in America. You have to come to the reception area and present your blue card with your ID on it. If you don’t have a card you have to buy one. You go to the cashier and pay for the blue card and then come back to show you paid. Once you have a blue card they then get your record or start a new record. They take your record to the nurses station where they call you to take vitals. Once your vitals are taken you see a doctor. The doctor may order labs for you which you must go to the lab and get them to write the price of the labs on the paper. Then you have to go to the cashier and pay for the lab. Then you take the receipt to the lab and they do your labs. Once your labs are done the doctor will see you again and then they will probably write a prescription. You have to go to the cashier and pay for the prescription and then go to the pharmacy and pick your prescription. Are you tired of reading this cause I am tired of typing it. HAHA. Its Africa and its not right, its not wrong, it’s just different.

My amazing husband has recently created a Welcome Video that explains this process to waiting patients in the reception area of OPD. We have a flat screen TV now and speakers that play this message throughout the hospital. Take a peak and see what it is like in an African Hospital.