Helmut Lauschke - For Justice, Understanding and Humanity

The face of the third patient after plastic-reconstructive surgery due to the extensive injury was widely covered with the head dressing except the right eye and the mouth with the reconstructed lips that were swollen. The circulatory system was stable and the patient was on infusion drip. Antibiotics were ordered for all three patients. The intensive care unit was overcrowded that those patients in stable condition were transferred to the general wards. I looked after the old man with the inoperable colon cancer in the surgical ward. The old man breathed with the longer intervals in between and was about to bring his life to an end.

I went to the female ward where the old woman after the above-knee amputation due to the femur malignancy showed a strong will to live. She waited for her discharge as early as possible to support morally her daughter with the two small grandchildren. The leg stump of the old woman looked satisfactory that I discharged the patient earlier after putting on a new dressing and bandage. I gave the necessary instructions which were translated by the nurse and agreed by the patient. I understood that the human aspect played the major role in the decision of the old woman.

The other old and emaciated woman after the below-knee amputation due to the forefoot gangrene had the great problem to find the inner peace. She told that she did not know to cope with her life, since she had nobody who would look after her. She had two sons and both had left her. One son was a worker in a South African mine and where the other son was, the old woman could not say. I felt the predicament and plight in which this old woman was and I knew that the words of sympathy I gave to the patient could not improve her hopeless situation.

The nurses told that the huge detonation had smashed some windowpanes. I went to the children’s ward where some children ran around in the bedrooms and the corridor. The nurse showed me the admission of the previous day which was the small girl with the skin-connected long fingers on both hands. The girl was on the operating list for separating the fingers on her right hand. The detonation had also smashed windowpanes in the children’s ward. The nurse said that some beds had moved over the place and the children were deeply shocked that they sat up and screamed of fear. I understood the great concern, but what could I say to calm down the agitation? What I said was that I would report on the broken windows in the morning meeting.

It was time for the meeting and I set off for the superintendent’s office. Dr Nestor sat behind the large desk and made some notes. The lean white matron with the pale face and her black deputy had taken their usual seats straight opposite to the superintendent’s desk. Colleagues entered the room in small crowds together with the pharmacist ladies. The pharmacist husband in charge of the medical store arrived later. The last was the black paediatrician who passed the room with the right hand deep in his trouser pocket. He took a seat on an upholstered chair at the window front under the rattling air conditioners and crossed the right leg over his left. His eyes focused something in the far distance and on the ceiling. The Philippine colleagues sat side by side showing that they belonged together. The two anaesthetic ladies also sat together and had a chat.

Dr Ruth and I sat on the hard chairs opposite to the window front. The fright from the detonation of the previous evening was still readable on the faces of all participants. Dr Nestor opened the meeting by saying that the hospital was not hit. He expressed his hope that the hospital would be spared in future as well, since a blow by a shell would be catastrophic. The white matron said that the impact of the shell was only some hundred metres from the hospital. She proposed that the superintendent should get in contact with Swapo to explain the critical situation for the hospital. “They should know about the consequences it would have for our patients. If the life of our patients is at risk, a way of communication must be found before it is too late”, the matron argued and her point was taken by the superintendent who made a note.

The black paediatrician took the word, though he had nothing substantial to say in regard to the seriousness of the hospital situation when he mentioned the problems with the military authority which would consider such a contact as a hostile act. The white matron disagreed. She said that the life of the patients had to be regarded as the top priority. Everything else has to come afterwards. It was again her unbroken commitment and dedication to the innocent and helpless patients in regard to their safety, while the paediatrician crossed the left leg over his right leg and stared into the space beneath the ceiling. Both, matron and paediatrician were farsighted, but the farsightedness of the matron was exclusively directed toward the hospital and the welfare of the patients.

The spark had jumped over and the superintendent thanked the matron for her suggestion which he liked to discuss with the medical director. Everyone did imagine that such a contact was like a tight-rope walk with the risk of a crash. The superintendent asked for comments. I agreed with the matron’s proposal and said, one cannot be silent if the life of innocent people is at risk and no one can accept any kind of killing or mass killing. Dr Nestor looked at me as he didn’t expect such a comment. The white matron did silently reflect on her statement and the others attendees kept quiet that the superintendent asked for more comments. He looked at the faces of the participants, but they kept locked their mouths. I felt sorry for the new superintendent who was confronted with the majority of taciturn people who did not take a stance in this critical time.

Nestor opened the second button under the collar. He had understood that he had to meet the decision and to carry the heavy burden of responsibility without the moral support of his black colleagues as he had possibly expected. The superintendent had a serious face by taking the burden. The faces of the participants looked into other directions or as the paediatrician at the ceiling in exactly that moment when the eyes of the superintendent were to meet the eyes of this particular colleague. Nestor did not leave the subject. He asked if the detonation had caused any damages. Nobody responded that I reported on the broken windowpanes in the outpatient department and in the wards. I said that broken glasses could endanger the children in particular. The superintendent made a note and said that he will look that the broken glasses get replaced as soon as possible.

He informed the forum of his telephonic conversation he had with the central medical store in Windhoek to get an explanation for the delay of the delivery of the ordered drugs. The reason as was told was the delay of transport from South Africa, but in the meantime the drugs had arrived and the orders were packed and ready to be collected that the hospital bus could take the drugs in the course of the week. The superintendent said that he had informed the bus driver to collect the drugs from the central medical store. The other important point was that Dr Nestor had contacted the secretary of the administration because of the unacceptable toilet situation at the hospital. The secretary had promised to send people from the works department within the next days to bring the toilets in order.

The white matron praised the efforts of the superintendent in regard to the stinking toilet facilities when the black matron supported her with pulling her grimaces of disgust. Finally, the superintendent mentioned the operations on the three seriously injured in the night and praised my hard work and skills. He said that my commitment does not know a word of complaint. Nestor closed the meeting with the words: “I wish you a good day.”