The severely malnourished child was on the verge of death. I quickly set up an IV to give him much needed nutrition and other supplements.
Hours later when he was stable I turned in anger upon the illiterate parents. " Why are you starving this child? He needs proper food! "
Tears dropped down the broken, skeletal man who stood before me with folded hands. "Look around you, Doctor Sahib, the land is dead. We have no food."we are dying of hunger, each day not less than two to three children passed out because of hunger. We cannot afford food,our crops are all dead. Doctor sahib look confused, distorted and shattered at the same time. It's ok said the doctor, let me go and see what I can do to help? How can people live in this kind of deserted island and expect to survive when it's clear that they can't, what do I do now? This people need help to survive said doctor sahib. First let me call the emergency response team to this community to support them in terms of food, cloths, drugs etc because the issue of malnutrition is taken over the community and if care is not taken it will eventually wipe out the entire community. Am glad at the end of the day, they can and attend to them. I did my job as a Doctor said Doctor sahib.
© Egbe Naomi