The clinic is vital to treat children like seven year old Frans,
whose mum, Dina, called out from the street near the clinic to our nurse late one
evening this March. Speaking in Afrikaans Dina explained that Frans had a lump on
his tummy and a high fever. Anna dropped everything to immediately bring Dina and
Frans into the clinic for an examination, which revealed a lump by his belly button.
Anna diagnosed a tic bite and Frans was given antibiotics to stop any infection and
paracetamol to bring his fever down.
If the Lifeline Clinic had not been there, Dina and Frans, would have needed to find
the money to pay to go to the state clinic. It is unlikely that they would have been
able to find the money and the infection would have been left untreated. In this case,
Frans's tic bite could have lead to severe sickness and even death.
Help us continue to provide treatment
to the marginalized Bushman community by making a donation to our Lifeline Clinic.
LIFELINE CLINIC
In 2003, Rudie, Marlice and Chris Heunis opened the Lifeline Clinic
at Epukiro, in the East of Namibia, after the need for a basic but comprehensive health
service became apparent following the tragic and unnecessary death of a San Bushman
child. This medical outreach project provides free treatment to the local San Bushman
community in this remote area. The Lifeline Clinic is entirely funded by voluntary
donations and our full time Nurse and volunteer Doctor provide primary healthcare to
over 3,500 patients a year. We examine and treat patients at the clinic and transport
those in vital need to a hospital, up to 300km away.
By supporting the Lifeline Clinic you can help us to buy the medicines we need to treat
over 3,500 patients a year as well as to cover the costs of the fuel and hospital
transports.
Field Lab
In order to broaden our reach and help more people, we plan to open a fully equipped
Field Lab with HIV testing as one of its most important functions. We have a room
available at the Lifeline Clinic to house the lab but require the donation of funds
and equipment to set up the lab itself. The fully equipped field lab would enable us
to test over 3,500 patients each year for both HIV and for a more accurate diagnosis
of their problems. In turn this would enable us to provide better treatment and an
efficient and improved service to all of our patients.
£20 could enable our Doctor to
carry out an outreach visit to a remote village and see up to 20 children in
one afternoon. £100 could enable us to transport a really sick
child to the hospital in the capital, over 350km away £160 could fund a week's supply of medicines at the
Lifeline Clinic £500 could enable us to treat over 40 children
with severe dehydration £1000 could fund a nurse at the Lifeline Clinic
for month
Field Lab: if you have any contacts we could approach to help us with
funding or equipment for our field lab (haematology & electrolyte analysers)
or a portable chest x-ray machine please email
donationsnaankuse@iway.na
Wish list
Alcohol gel Tongue depressors Venturi masks
Slit lamp
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH OUR EMAILS BEING RECEIVED BY HOTMAIL ACCOUNTS. IF YOU
MAKE AN ENQUIRY VIA HOTMAIL AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM US WITHIN TWO DAYS PLEASE RE-SEND AND WE WILL REPLY VIA AN ALTERNATE
EMAIL ADDRESS. THANK YOU.
Our patients
Bertha, a six year old girl came in with symptoms of a urinary tract infection, a severe
fever and dehydration due to vomiting caused by her infection. Our Doctor was able to treat
Bertha to stop her vomiting, give her some oral rehydration solution to rehydrate her and
give her some liquid paracetamol to help bring down her fever. Following a course of
antibiotics Bertha returned to the clinic a week later looking much healthier and with no
further signs of the infection and fever.
Piet, a four year old boy, recently attended the clinic with extremely swollen and itchy
feet. He had been playing in water after the recent rains, walking around bare foot on damp
sand, and had picked up a worm infection called Cutaneous Larva Migrans. We treated Piet
with anti-worming syrup, as well as making a paste out of the syrup with antiseptic cream
to coat his feet, wrapping them in bandages. We also gave him some anti-histamine syrup to
try and help to relieve the itching. Piet returned 10 days later with no further signs of
worm infections in his feet.
Little Asser, an 18 month old baby boy, was recently brought to the clinic by his parents.
They had struggled to bring him the 75km from his village as they were very concerned about
his breathing. He was experiencing episodes where he stopped breathing for 4 or 5 seconds
and then would suddenly have to gasp for breath. We examined little Asser and noticed that
he had extremely loud breath sounds indicating that he had something obstructing his airway.
We referred him directly to the ENT specialists at Windhoek Central Hospital and personally
drove him and his mum the 400km trip there. Following an operation, Asser has now been
discharged, is sounding much healthier and is back safely at home with his parents.
Venombangu, a five year old girl was brought into the clinic with her mother and brother
with a fever, lethargy, vomiting and headache. We examined her and found she had a very
stiff neck and signs of meningitis. Her mother had also been coughing for two weeks, had
lost weight and was having night sweats. We took the whole family to Gobabis hospital where
they were all admitted with TB. Tragically Venombangu died after two weeks in hospital of
TB meningitis and dehydration. Her mother and brother were discharged having both been
diagnosed with TB.
N/a’an ku sê is committed to improving the lives of the san Bushman community
through education, employment, healthcare and improved living conditions.
