My name is Tefera. I am from Ethiopia. I have a diploma in clincal nursing and now I am a second year public health student at Alkan University-collage. In addition, I am married and have children. Due to low income, I can not continue to pay my tuition. My salary barley covers house rent and food for my family. I have great interest to continue my education. Can any of you help at all? Please.

I have read your diary with a great interest and dispare as you walk us through your short stay at ADH. I just want to commend you and express my gratiude to your compssionate service.
I have no doubt there is a great deal to learn from you. Yes, i do also have a great respect to our physicians who live there and experiance the agony you discribe in a daily bases.

Even if it is for one day, you did your share and more importantly you took your valuable time to share your experiance.

To talk and to show it in action are two differnt things…..you are a sister in action!

God Bless!

Dagnew

Cheers,
Khal

Thanks for sharing your memoir, you have vast compassion.

Clearly what you have described is a story about Ethiopia, but its also applicable to most third world countries .

I can sympathize with your emotional attachments and professional disappointment, especially as a visiting practitioner who is used to “first” world standards.

The feeling of being hopeless to help your fellow Ethiopians and consistently being reminded of the vast poverty that exist in our country is an emotional roller coaster.

Under the surface of your emotions and political bites, all I can see is an encouraging picture of the future, for this long suffering country.

Most of the problems that you have mentioned are fixable and I don’t see them as being cultural.

Yes the government needs to spend more and more on health and education.
Yes we can all blame the government and do nothing.

But, we should be asking ourselves, what can “we” as individuals do to help?

How much will an MR Scanner cost?
If not an MR Scanner then what other essential hospital equipment are needed?

I am confident that we can all contribute some cash, as there are a vast number of Ethiopians who want to help but don’t know where to start.

And as for the bad services found in most places in Ethiopia.
Yes its very annoying, and a basic customer service training will go along way to elevate the tensions.
Maybe there’s an opportunity for Customer Service expert to set up shop near TAH?:)

Big Positive
Smart, well educated, hungry for knowledge and compassionate doctors!
All trained in Ethiopia!

I might be a bit optimistic, but I hope for days when we’re able to look for solution rather than going to our usual low grounds…

Well done! I do hope that you will keep up the good work! you have done something great. You are at least bringing this to the attention of the general public and the incumbent political party, if they are willing to listen and act when they are being told. What a sad story!

I am just wondering where that huge aid is going?

I think this is just a tip of the iceberg and typical of current Ethiopian public service sector.There are millions of unlucky Ethiopians who are dying without getting any kind of medical attention.

Dr Sosena, did you contribute your share? Yes, of course. She is an established professional in the US. In my opinion what she witnessed (and reported) for us is (immeasurable). This is a tremendous contribution. The people who kissed her hands said it clearly.

So please no politicking. Let’s stay at the individual level. Although I am not a practicing christian, I can’t help myself but quoting Jesus “What you did to the least among you, you did it to me…..”.

Believe me, I am more than proud to be from the same area of Africa as (Dr. Sosena), and reading her day to day accomplishments made me feel so small in front of the work we have to do to get to some decent level.

(DR.), What you started, don’t stop: Kess bekess enkkulal begrou y’hedal.

There was a time when people wouldn’t go to the doctor and I know several people messed up by local “Tenqay” and “Kalita“, why, because there was no medical infrastructure, at least now there is a beginning. As you correctly point out, these physicians are well trained and highly motivated, this is a good nucleus for the future infrastructure.

Ethiopia is a poor country, but I have visited other African countries with much more wealth than Ethiopia. I am talking about Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cabon where you have a very highly developed private practice. But, believe me you do not want to be admitted to their hospitals. You can duplicate your observations to any of these countries. How about Harlem Hospital?

So lets take it slowly, but we will get there!

Then what! What did she do exactly except exposing her own motherland pity crises. After all, there is no medical procedure in the world which doesn’t have hassles, let alone in Africa and particularly in Ethiopia. Yes, there are many up-downs and there are several ways to get treatment, but what did the Dr. do in her part except giving some money. [how much was it??].

I have visited many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and also America, but I am still working in my home country to give back what I have to do. To do something for all my people who have been helping me at a time when I was incapable of doing anything except doing what I was told and ordered to do.

For the sake of God, let us shut-up and do our part with out barking at a place where we eat our lunch, and yet, we don’t even know how we are going to get our dinner. Let me give you this Amharic proverb, which is an advice for you and those gambling in the name of our mama Ethiopia:

Wusha enquan balebetun ayneksm, anchi ye enat tut nekash.
Bezbiz

Does it take to practice abroad to lavishly shed tears on conditions at home? I never take to heart these funny (though not funny in reality) comments from all sorts of professionals who do their comfortable jobs abroad. I am a teacher and taught both in Europe and at home, but would never comment on the rough and tough situations at home. I would rather do practical life things here and contribute my share. Never would do the bla bla bla thing for others to know.

It is disgusting for me to see some foreigner of Ethiopian origin to give unsolicited comment on such conditions. We are working and still keep working under these inhuman conditions but what has Sosenna achieved?

We welcome only those that at least contribute their share in something more than posting memoirs.

Thank U so much for posting Dr. Sosena’s observation of Tikur Anbessa Hospital. I totally agree with her observation as one of the workers who served their for about eight years. Actually I served at the time of the previous regime. During that period at least it was far better in service provision and commitment of health workers. You can imagine how these regime has “tortured” the people of this country. My beloved Sosina has stated it very well in her observation of the biggest only specialized hospital in the country. I can also give you so many facts on the health situation of the rural population as I am working for one of the UN agencies. You cant believe how human beings are being treated. No one cares if a person dies due to negligence of health workers. The statistics are unmeasurable. My poor Ethiopians die silently. They can’t talk about their rights, they are under total frustration.

Dear Sosi, you cried with your friend, we used to do the same. Please those of you who feel this pain let’s pray to get “Ethiopiawi Merioch”. I am really hungry of good governance. Those who are elected by our choice and are accountable to us!

Regards,
Tiruwubet.

I know how it feels to be a doctor in our country. Your readers might also have guessed that a doctor’s salary is not big enough for him/her to wear one clean shirt a day. That is the irony: the professional who should set standards in personal hygiene doesn’t have the financial means to live up to that expectation!!!

And, most of our miseries can be attributed to mismanagement by the ruling group who came to town with the declared aim of fighting “intellectual chauvinism”. That fight has bitterly affected our fraternity.

Despite all the difficulties, we need to give back to our community; no question about that. In that spirit, I fully appreciate the efforts of compatriots like you.

I was deeply touched by this reports of Dr. Sosena . I was so sad wen I saw
this pictures of some of the patients in the Hospital.

As a Medical Doctor, I was ready to serve my nation . After I had completed my qualifications in Vienna ( Austria ) I returned home in 1996 (European Calender) to work in Ethiopia and to open one Branch of “Galaxo ” wellcome medical company . At the time, after spending 12 years abroad, it was very difficult time for me to employ myself and to realize the dream of opening the Branch of Galaxo well come in Addis.

The transitional period had made everything impossible and every step of the way . The officials were requesting payment (bribe/Gubo ). I was disappointed and came back to Austria and started to work here since 1997.

I regrate that I have to serve another nation. There are a lot of Medical doctors who wish they can go back and work in Ethiopia, regardless of the huge money that they earn for the service they provide abroad.

I think if there was a genuine opportunity to serve, everybody including myself, will come back home and help our nation.

If this brief note tells you something, you can contact me anytime personally and we can talk further . There are also so many friends who want to go home and help our nation.

God Bless Ethiopia !

Dr. Alemayehu RT.