Long Jab wait? Try waiting here…

A friend called and said he was hoping for The Big Wedding to take place in July, “Bill, you follow these things, what are the chances of it happening OK in July?”  I replied “maybe OK.  But it will be safer to have The Reception and speeches in 2022.”  Many of us are trying to calculate when we will get “done” in time for the Mediterranean summer holiday?  However, for many of the poorer countries, the wait could be long long long.  If ever.

Last week there was a four day conference on vaccination issues in Haiti, which our hospital was represented.  But no news of vaccines.  In Uganda where our local teams are helping refugees – no news of vaccines.  Just news of an additional rations cut (though Chinese contractors in Uganda are getting the Chinese vaccine).  There is a moral storm brewing.

“Moral failure”

Less for the Poor

Haitian doctor outside his posh office yesterday.  Just saved man with serious head injury

Last night I and the Hospital team in Haiti sweated it out in a long Zoom meeting.  Trying to get the Hospital’s income and expenditure to balance.  In the face of economic recession and falling Hospital income, increased medical costs caused by Covid-19.  And of course, Covid-19 itself.  These Hospital leaders are good people, but the meeting ended with no solution, no balanced budget.  They just cannot believe we cannot tap into UK donations and UK foreign aid.

But friends, UK foreign aid is at the moment nowhere to be seen.  My colleagues in Hope Health Action have been active.  UK Government overseas aid (DfID) have put aside millions to help tackle Covid-19 in poor countries.  DfID said to us – apply.  Then last week DfID said, just wait a minute….  Yesterday we found out why.

Funeral Tears and Cheers

Two funerals this year so far; one shocking, one elegiac. Both with foreign condolences; one military, the other medical.  Both with plenty of food after; one pushed down with tea, the other with vodka.  Both with memories of lives lived; of 11 weeks, and of 96 years.  Both funerals are worth a thought.  But I’ll tell you of baby Noah’s now.

How can a funeral capture both the sense of loss, the genuine loss; and the sense of hope, confidence?   And also a mysterious third dimension- that it is better to have genuinely loved and lost, is better than never having loved at all, so never suffered the loss?

Lament
This funeral did work us for the tears: ♫Benedictus, Karl Jenkins; ♫Jealous of the Angels, Katherine Jenkins; ♫ Brahms’ Lullaby, Celine Dion.

White Saviours

Stacey Dooley – “White Saviour” in Uganda. ?
Bill Lovett – “White Saviour” in Uganda. Really?
The charity I work for -“White Saviours” in Uganda/South Sudan. Really? Really?

The fuss has gone, but the issue remains.  Was Stacey Dooley, and so many other white folk flying in to “do good” actually do bad.  Reinforce racial stereotypes.  Emote.  Post “look-at-me doing good” pics on FB and Instagram.  Then fly off, leaving those village Ugandan’s no better off whatsoever.

Haitian Medical Director responds to Aid scandal

In light of the recent Haiti aid scandal and on-going questions over international aid, the Medical Director of Hospital HCBH, Dr Paul Toussaint, has written the below reflection.  It’s a longer blog than normal, but a very insightful reflection from the perspective of one of Haiti’s leading Paediatricians:

Charities work in many sectors: Water, sanitation, health education, human rights etc. But why so many organisations?  What are the results?  We are asking these questions perplexed.