Medicine without anesthesia: what med school never teaches you

I had already seen emergency care in several Spanish hospitals. What I had never seen was clinical decision-making without monitors, imaging or a nearby referral network.

Primary care with limited resources

The Mererani dispensary serves thousands of people with a tiny team. On day one I expected to observe; two hours later I was already doing triage because reality demanded it.

• Malaria diagnosis and treatment
• Prenatal follow-up
• Wound care and sutures
• Health education workshops
• Referral of severe cases to Arusha

"In medical school you learn to read labs. Here you learn to read a patient." - Dr. Lema