Pediatrician in Swaziland: Today's patient encounter

Thursday, August 16, 2007

This is Bayanda. He is 8 months old. He started ARVs today. More on him soon.

At 5:28 AM, Jeannine Hatt said...: Hello Ryan.
This little boy reminds me of one of my little patients that I will call Jamonte. Jamonte's mother (I will call her Tonda) is 18 years old and comes in quite often because she is concerned about his frequent spitting up and runny noses. Jamonte's Dad is serving prison time for drug dealing and Tonda has little support system. She works 2 jobs and leaves Jamonte with a neighbor who is allowing her to live with her and her 3 children until she can finance her own apartment. Tonda and Jamonte seem to have a lot of strikes against them.
But Tonda is HIV negative as is Jamonte. She has government health insurance for Jamonte which makes him privy to some of the best health care in the world and she receives food subsidies through WIC that will help keep Jamonte well-fed. Jamonte is generally a healthy little boy and will be immunized, free of charge, against diseases that take the lives of thousands of children in our world every day who have not had the same privilege. He will have every opportunity to receive an education and find work that will sustain him and his future family. He has a mother who, in spite of her struggles, is healthy and loves him very much and will do all she can to assure his success. Jamonte is one of the luckiest little fellows in our world.
Thank you Ryan for your work. Taking care of our world's children IS God's work.

Love, Mom