Flower 2

Ok, I played with this image a bit, I admit. It's another flower whose name I don't know.
This morning we attended internal medicine rounds at Yekatit 12 Hosp. A lot of really sick people. HIV, TB, hepatitis and even a probable case of relapsing fever. This is an infectious disease which is endemic in Ethiopia. It is transmitted by both lice and ticks, mainly lice in Ethiopia. It can occur in epidemics, especially where there is poverty and overcrowding. The attending physician suspected it, although the patient was not febrile today, and finding a louse on the patient's clothing was another clue. It is well documented in the excellent novel "Cutting for Stone" by ? Abraham Verghese. Fortunately it is very easily treated, with one dose of antibiotics. Interesting for a family doc, but perhaps disgusting for others reading this blog.

In the afternoon we met with a GP at the health centre where we will be working. She was lovely. It helped us piece together how the Ethiopian health system works.