Scabies, TB and sex education

This is a random title for a blog I know but it sums up my day really! This morning we did our rounds in the mobile clinic and got to a spot where there were a group of children living. About a week ago we saw a girl from this spot who had what we thought was severe scabies and, very likely, AIDS. She is now in the hospital, as far as we know. However all the other children in this spot have got scabies. It's a nightmare situation as we cannot take away all their blankets and clothing to wash otherwise they will have absolutely nothing, and there's no point treating some of them if we can't treat them all or wash their clothes and bedding. All we could do was give them lots of cleaning stuff and buckets to wash themselves and inform the public health department. I don't know how it works it South Africa so who knows what they will do - it's so frustrating!

Later this morning we went to a primary school in a hospital in Durban. The school teaches all the kids that are patients in the hospital. They all have some form of TB. They were so lovely and performed a little dance for us whilst we clapped. They then showed me their artwork before going off for lunch. Instead of giving them sweets I gave them each a chewy blackcurrant vitamin tablet.

This afternoon I went with a group of the girls, all about 16-18, for a picnic in the park to talk about sex, contraception, HIV/ AIDS and anything else about health that they wanted to know. We had a hilarious time, they were not shy at all - i guess that's because they know me! We talked about HIV and pregnancy, STIs and condoms. I had a load of condoms to give them and showed them how to use them properly. They were so funny, re-enacting sexual positions with the condoms - so unlike British teenagers! I was surprised that not many of them seemed to have ever used a condom. They asked questions like: does it hurt when you use one? Also comments such as: you don't eat the skin of a banana so why use a condom? That made me laugh a lot. These girls have been through so much but know how to enjoy themselves, they really make you think about what's important (it's cheesey but true). I will love you and leave you on that note.

Thank you for all you reactions, I love reading them. 

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