Hospital

Kenya has a health service but unlike the UK’s NHS not all sevices are free at the point of need.  I accompanied staff and one of the ladies who expecting a baby anytime now to the main hospital in Naivasha today.  We took a boda boda (motorbike ride) to the main road and then a matatu (bus) close to the centre of town.  There were many women waiting to be seen, some pre, some post birth.  Placing their record books in the table they all patiently waited (up to 4 hours) to be weighted, have their blood pressure taken and to see the Dr.  Not happy that our lady had gone over her date the Dr asked a payment of 1000ksh be made and a further payment of 70 bob for an ultrascan.  After more waiting and queing by the time we arrived at the ultrascan department we were told that had stopped for the day and we would have to return tomorrow.

I took the opportunity to visit the supermarket again as we are low on flour and margarine needed for baking.  Supplies in stores are adequate but the choice is limited compared to Nairobi’s bigger supermarkets.  I managed to find cooking chocolate and porridge oats (the porridge oats are for me, for breakfast 😊) and also bought some apples and peanuts (I feel a bit diprived of tasty food at the moment).  I appreciate the fact that a very large percentage of Kenyan’s are not able to pop into a supermarket and buy what they fancy or need as they do not earn more than a dollar a day roughly equivalent to 100 Kenyan Shillings.

I hope the cookies we plan to bake turn out well, the ladies are getting the hang of bread I don’t even have to prompt  them anymore 😊.