We were all up and ready by 8:00 a.m. Some of us were still eating breakfast while others lounged around until Andrew and Sedick came to get us. As we waited, I could see the nervousness build on some of my classmates’ faces. In one way or another we were all nervous or anxious about beginning our volunteer work today.
Yes, the past week has been amazing; the beaches, the markets, site seeing, and the Minstrel Carnival all made it feel like we had come to Cape Town on vacation. But at the back of our heads, we all kept in mind what we really came here for: to interact with and submerse ourselves in a culture that was different than our own. We came here to learn more about the people, the lifestyle, and different systems that make up the city of Cape Town, and today, as we each began working at our volunteer sites, we started to gain a deeper understanding of the culture here.
We departed together, all 16 of us, plus Jan, Jess, Andrew, and Sedick. One by one, Sedick stopped at the different volunteer sites as different groups of people got off the bus. St. Anne’s Home, located in the suburb of Woodstock, was first. Woodstock seemed very similar to Observatory: vibrant and safe. After leaving the group who was to volunteer at St. Anne’s behind, we got onto the highway and drove towards Heideveld.
Quickly, the scenery changed. As we sped along the highway, rows and rows of shacks popped up to the left and right. The brightly colored homes were far back in the distance and up ahead all I could see was the rust building up on the shacks. We had entered into the Township areas.
In South Africa, the term township usually refers to the often underdeveloped urban areas that were reserved for non-whites during the Apartheid Regime. But after Apartheid, despite there still being underdeveloped Townships, many saw much economic progress, leading to the development of housing, education, sanitation, and health.
Driving into Heideveld, it seemed to me that this Township was still in the process of development. While on the outskirts there were rusted shacks and crowded housing, driving deeper revealed apartments, comfy homes, and the Heideveld Clinic, the site that I would be volunteering at for the next two weeks.
As soon as we entered the clinic parking lot, we could see throngs of people waiting to be helped. At first it seemed overwhelming; I thought that there was no way the clinic could help so many people, but I was quickly proven wrong. A walking tour and a meet and greet with the doctors and “sisters” (nurses as we know them) exposed how big and versatile the clinic was. There was a department for anything and everything from maternity to psychiatry, asthma to physiotherapy, and everything in between. Departments were clearly labeled, seating was provided everywhere, and there was space for everyone to sit or stand comfortably. The staff seemed energetic and welcoming to the two Americans (Chun and I) who had come there to volunteer.
The guy in charge, an enthusiastic and friendly fellow named Daod, did an amazing job of summing up what the clinic did and explaining to both Chun and I what we would be doing for the next two weeks; we are to rotate amongst the departments, helping out the sisters and staff with any tasks and getting a feel for the different types of aid that the clinic provides.
Today, we were placed in the check-in and records department. This department, along with the pharmacy, was the busiest, and the only two installed with air conditioning, something that I have not yet seen in Cape Town. With all the filing cabinets organized in the middle of the room, there are three window areas: the first is reserved for making appointments, getting a prescription, and for all the major health departments such as telemetry, physiotherapy, surgery, maternity, etc.; the second area is designated for the Infectious Disease department which mostly deals with HIV/AIDS; and the third area is for the asthma, hypertension, and diabetes clinics, and for psychiatry. Chun and I worked in the first area, mostly making appointments, making new record folders for new patients, and pulling records for patients who had appointments. We were working alongside 2 nurses maximum at any given point, and sometimes even 1, so you can imagine how busy we were trying to get to every patient. But since, neither one of us technically “works” there, we couldn’t directly work with a patient, leading to more impatience, both on the patients’ and staff’s part.
At one point, the department was so understaffed, that there was an influx of patients, confusion, and tons and tons of screaming. I am sure that I heard strings of swears being thrown out from patient to staff member, staff member to patient; some in Afrikaans or another African native language, and even in English. But, amongst all the screaming, there was laughter and joking from the patients and staff alike. Amidst all the confusion, everyone found some humor in the understaffed and overworked records department and the outnumbering patients.
One exchange that stood out the most to me was between a sister that I was helping and a patient waiting to be called up so he could get his paperwork to refill a prescription. In a deep, loud voice, the patient yelled out “There are people dieing out here waiting for their medication, and all you do is sit there and laugh.” The sister responded, “Then, you can die a slow death.” Both then broke out in laughter. At first, I didn’t get it, what was so funny about such a strong statement? But after thinking about it, and witnessing today how Heideveld Clinic operates, I realized that maybe the patient and sister were humoring the health-care system, and they did so rightfully.
Being privileged, we don’t realize the strains of the health-care system, both within the United States, in other developed nations such as South Africa, and even in third world countries. We fail to realize that there are clinics and hospitals that are understaffed yet packed with patients, that are in need of basic supplies but have patients needing something as complex as brain surgery. Being privileged, we don’t see that in cases such as Heideveld, everyone is trying to make best of what they have, whether it be resources such as staff and supplies, or time, and in doing so they find humor. So even though the sister’s response seems harsh, we need to realize that she was doing all that she could to help and make light of the difficult and overwhelming situation.
Despite at times being overwhelmed, I found Heideveld Clinic a welcoming and efficient place where anyone could turn to for medical help. I look forward to working here in the next 2 weeks and see what new experiences I encounter! Pictures to come soon!
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