Sitting here, home and happy

Back home now and so very happy to be here. Love my home and it has been such a privilege being home for the last few months. Off course, the hustle and bustle and stimulation of working in Jhb each week is very stimulating but I really miss the stability and beauty of home and Cape Town when I travel. I truly hope to be able to create a life when I spend more time here in future.

The hospital staff were amazing and I am 25% of the way through this phase now. That’s not a matric pass but almost heh? I visit to the hospi again in a week where they’ll let me know more about how the schedule goes. Back to hospital for a moment as I do feel it is worth acknowledging the staff who are amazing. There was Precious, a Durban trained Sister who’s been in this Stem Cell ward for 2 years, there’s Elsie who’s been here for more than 6 years and then I met Charlene who brought me an omelet for lunch and so many more. I asked each to write their names on the white board so that I can attempt to remember them all. As you all know patient is not one of my glaring qualities. So I am home now and need to re calibrate. I am finding this difficult mainly because I just don’t know what the next few months hold. I will need to create my next few months and hope to use the time to write a bit and then also to do some coaching and mentoring. While the purpose of coaching is to unlock people’s potential, this will not be most effective where people are fearful, uncertain and feeling underpowered. I believe that coaching at this time is a most valuable extension of the services that TPNG offers. I have worked with a number of Coaching clients in the past. While times were very different, the uncertainty and stresses of the world, although not absent were somewhat understood. Uncertainty today, with the pandemic, increased fear of economic crisis and personal financial ruin is infinitely greater for most people. This stress is vastly magnified by the sympathies we as humans feels for our compatriots. People need to feels heard and need to feel a sense of empowerment more than ever. I believe a well-structured, honest coaching program will support many people in dire need at this time.

It would also be amiss of me not to acknowledge my incredible respect for the advances in medical science. I am so in awe of what science has achieved for our world. Medical science is obviously top of mind for me right now because of my situation. I am however under no illusion of the power of science and its ability to enable a better world for all. I note however with great sadness how science and populism compete in our world today.It is dangerous, especially in these times, it is anti-science, anti-establishment always negative,  and is divisive always drives fear. Populism is non-collaborative and chaos-generating.  Its leaders promising things that it cannot hope to deliver once in power to garner support. It’s dangerous too because, like a virus, it can adapt to all situations to suit its agenda.  So its fickle and offensive.

Populism offers a quick, mostly simple fix, mostly fear driven but draws the less informed or curious crowd. Populism will not solve our world problems. It is generally self-serving, power driven, undemocratic and un-collaborative. Science on the other-hand is collaborative, procedural, and not quick and builds on the shoulders of other scientists that have gone before. This is why it evolves and this is why we see such strides being made at this time where the world is in search of a vaccine for the covid19 virus. Populists will not solve this issue.

Let me digress. As I sit here, privileged to be in a private health care system in South Africa and access probably to one of the best haematology facilities in our country, I am so aware of the plight of the many, many people who face this uncertain journey without my privilege. Yes, I have medical aid and gap cover but that doesn’t mean the financial stress is irrelevant. After all the pandemic has reduced my revenue notably. Fortunately this is not an immediate stress. Privilege again. Let me also be clear, I am deeply concerned or the have nots in our world. This status cannot be allowed to continue. Primarily, this is not what I wish for my fellow man. It is not right that fellow humans live in abject poverty, hopeless and fearful throughout their lives. In addition, it is bad for world harmony, and allows the evil, the most selfish to abuse the vulnerability of the masses and to peddle self-serving populist solutions that will not end well. Africa is rife with examples but so are most poorer nations around the world. Off course education is a launch pad but education alone will not suffice. People will not escape poverty with education alone but equally will not escape poverty without education. My bigger ache at this moment is the promise made by the unthinking ideological South African government who are determined to launch NHI, or ideally to nationalize our health system. The ideology, as with many ideologies could be noble, although this is difficult to appreciate in country where the government authorities are so guilty of corruption. Never the less, let us assume the best and that the motive is noble. The stated objective of NHI is that every South African has access good health care. The truth is that today, every South African does have access to health care. The majority, however access tis care through the public sector which is very largely an unmitigated disaster. There are a few nodes of excellence but these are really few and far between. In addition, private health care in South Africa is very good. The effect of the government’s objective will be to lower the standard to the lowest common denominator. Clearly that’s not the stated intention but it is inevitable. Why, would the ineffectiveness of the current public health service, whether through corruption, incompetence, poor management, misguided motive suddenly become effective. It will not. My prediction is that the process will limp along, constantly threatened by new NHI launched initiatives for many years. Older Doctors and private facilities will sit it out but new professionals and investment will become a sad legacy of the past. Let us assume that noble intent and competence become the order of the day. As wonderful as this may sound, we are not a wealthy country and simply cannot afford the NHI as proposed. The only solution is truly, somehow, someway to begin by upgrading the 1000’s of primary health care facilities. They are abysmal at this stage. Nursing competence is probably not the main shortfall although I am not really qualified to make this assertion. My first emphasis would be on simple logistics, management competencies and stamping out corruption. This extends beyond the Dept of Health. For example, I am aware of health care facilities that have no water because the Dept. of Public Works ineffectiveness. What’s unbelievable is that this I so believable in our country.

Finally for this scribble, and to hopefully somewhat dampen the negative sentiment above, I am reminded of Cheleni who works with me. He is the most wonderful man. Each morning when Cheleni arrives at work, we greet and he always adds; “ït’s a beautiful day”. This uplifting moment is occasionally an extension of my day’s truth. But it does inspire me to appreciate the wonders of the day immediately. Put in perspective, and knowing a little of his life struggle, this is a very difficult attitude to carry and he consistently goes about his day with energy, enthusiasm and positive vigour. As we often need to be reminded, it’s not about what happens but how you choose to feel about what happens. Sounds easier than it is but may just be our sanity I our time. Huge kudos to that man, Cheleni!