The first days haven been busy. At all time there was one person inside the medibus during the first two days. Wounds on feets and legs were very common, headaches and bag pain as well, but also dental problems. The dental problems brought our medical treatment to a limit. Unfortunately as far as the local activisties know there is no solidary dentist. Therefore we cannot do more than recommending the people on the move to go to a hospital.
However, the hospital is only an option for a few. The closest one is in Bordighera, which is 25min by car or an one hour walking tour. Even if people take this trip – which can be difficult when you‘re injured or hurting – a treatment is not always guaranteed. It is their legal right to get treated but sometimes they‘re turned away anyway. Some don‘t want to go to the hospital as they fear oppression or deportation. Another reason is the separation of their group, their families or friends on the move that comes with a hospital visit. Leaving his friend behind appeared to be the main cause of hesitation for one person on the move we followed to the hospital.
With the first people of the move that we convinced to visit the hospital, we where the only group that had to wait for hours – outside until he was treated.
Convincing the people from the urgency to got to the hospital, was quite often hard for me. How much convincing is necessary and how much is too much?
One patient with a necrotic toe [1], we could not treat sufficiently besides handing out pain killers. He refused to go to the hospital. After the third or fourth attempt to point out the neccessity and urgency of medical treatment at a hospital, I started to feel uncomfortable. Was it because of miscommunication? Or didn‘t we understand his wishes? After 20Kappa [2] organised a translator, it turned out that he indeed didn‘t want to go to a hospital, but rather whished to go home. Taking the severeness of his condition/siutation, I wasn‘t satisfied over his decision. However, more than about my disappointment over it, I care about that it‘s his decision.
Rala & the Medi-Crew
[1] necrotic means that the tissue is dying
[2] 20Kappa is a selforganised group, working constantly in Ventimiglia