Fraser's blog

Well, I have not been keeping the blog updated, that's for sure. With a hectic start, and a long period without a full team of expats, the first half of my mission was always going to be a case of working flat out. I hoped that after half time I would start to reap the benefits of all the hard work putting proper controls in place and sorting out the filing system. But it was not to be. To start with, when returning from Ghana I had a crazy couple of weeks catching up with all that had gone on while I was away. I know people who don't take more than a week of holiday because they feel that the difficulty in catching up after two weeks away negates the benefits. Well, it was a bit like that. Also after ages being down at 6 expats (supervising 180 national staff and providing healthcare to about 300,000 people) our HR crisis was suddenly cured. We now have 11 expats... so twice the number of expats can believe I am just there to answer their every need. Actually that is far from the truth - I can not have wished for a better team and having the staff means that finally things such as staff training, sterilization, consumption monitoring and reporting can be given the attention they deserve. Weekend before last I was due for my 2nd R&R - unfortunately this coincided with me feeling decidedly unwell: 8 hours in a landcruiser when you have had a headache for 2 days is not a pleasant experience. Also being away from your own bedroom and your own hospital is just where you don't want to be: Hotels are not ideal and you don't have a lab on the end of VHF radio to call of to try and work out if you have malaria or not. I don't think I did have malaria, but I took the normal course of treatment. Amodiaquine sure does knock you out - I now know why all my staff claims the treatment is worse than the symptoms! So R&R was not the break that was required... but I went back to the project nonetheless and soldiered on for another week, taking a couple of half days. I could have stayed back, but there was too much to do... and like I said, when unwell, I can't think of a better place to be. And I do feel better... but still very tired. As it happens, the surgical block has now been turned over to Alex and Christianne - it's almost running, but the finally rehab stuff consists of a few shelves and they can ask Moctar for them directly. And the big drug order has now been handed over to the capital - all my work getting stock and consumption figures together have finished. Also William, (our capital log) and Erwin (FinCo) are departing this week, leaving an understaffed capital office, so being down here makes sense from a work of view too. The project is in the safe hands of the multi-talented Grace (Admin extraordinaire) and Carol (PC). So here I am in Abidjan - satellite TV (just so happens the Olympics are on, in case nobody noticed) and ADSL. Kill Bill II is on at the local cinema (French language only) and the supermarket is well stocked with all the French food anyone could ask for (at slightly above French prices, one must add). Today has been spent mostly surfing the internet and emailing people. It is great to have the time to write individual replies to each email I receive. Keep them coming! And it's only about 5 weeks before I'll be back home. Most people's lives change surprisingly little in six months, but I also know there are a lot of little lives that are changing very rapidly, and I'm sure I'll be amazed by how much Zo?Holly, Hughie & Jamie, Anna, Eadlin, Georgia and so many others have changed since I left... and of course there are several new faces to meet. I managed to leave the full backup of my photos at the project, but I did have a small selection with me - I've put them up at http://www.pefe.co.uk/cijuly. Enjoy!

I'm in Abidjan for both R&R and work - so online, with ADSL. I'll upload some piccies and entries in the next day, so watch this space!!!