Tuesday, January 3, 2012

No Otoscope Available at Outpatients’ Department of Central Havana Children’s Hospital / Katia Sonia

No Otoscope Available at Outpatients' Department of Central Havana
Children's Hospital / Katia Sonia
Katia Sonia, Translator: Paul Knopinski

"The Outpatients' Department of the Central Havana Children's Hospital
has no otoscope for examining children suffering from ear pain," said
Lianay Palmero, a resident of Santo Tomás entre Árbol Seco y Retiro,
after her daughter had been in pain for more than 24 hours without being
diagnosed.

Eventually, the two-year-old was diagnosed the following day as having a
middle ear infection, thanks to the presence at the hospital of an ear,
nose and throat specialist who had an otoscope she had acquired during a
medical mission abroad at her own expense.

The angry mother contacted this reporter to complain about the lack of
such simple and essential equipment at the outpatients' department of
the hospital in question, particularly when the Cuban Government tells
the world that Cuban medical care is completely free and that children
are given top priority.

The source ended by saying that more than 30 children were waiting at
the outpatients' department to be examined by students from the Latin
American School – all of them medicine residents – and that there was
only one qualified pediatrician on duty.

Translated by Paul Knopinski

November 2 2011

http://translatingcuba.com/?p=13536

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