One lollipop a day

The boy in the picture who sits so still next to his grandma is named Given. Today, he travelled 35 km from his home for a check-up appointment.

Given is 4 years old. A month ago, he and his mum were involved in a car accident – they were hit by a truck. The mum suffered a serious leg injury, a highly compound lower leg fracture. The boy was brought to Katondwe Mission Hospital in far more dire state.

Given had a serious head injury and a broken skull bone. He only regained consciousness 3 days after the surgery. He took his condition very badly, especially the paresis of his left arm. He would often cry and complain about his painful injections. His mood was improved only by one “medicine”. Every day, Given received something sweet – a lollipop which calmed him down.

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Unfortunately, our hospital is not equipped with a CT machine. In cases when we can’t conduct specialist examinations, careful observation is all we can do. In case of a critical situation, Given would have been immediately transported to Lusaka. Fortunately, that wasn’t needed. Currently, the boy is recovering at home, looked after by his caring grandma.

Car accidents are very common in our region. They are one of the main reasons for patient admissions to Katondwe Mission Hospital.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for every donation that gets us closer to purchasing this much needed medical equipment!