 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
We were first requested to look at Horea in July 1999. A Doctor had finally been found for this village which is seriously remote in term of getting to and from. The road linking it to the Girda Road is just a dirt track with huge holes and trenches. During wet weather the whole road floods and is treacherous, and during snow it is not safe to drive resulting in the village being virtually cut off for several months of the year. Dr Catlin took over in the early part of 1999 and was disheartened upon seeing the dispensary. Whilst the building was in good condition it was just purely that, a building. There was a trickle of a water supply from a broken water basin up the hill that fed only one tap and an electric supply that was, random at best. Gas was by bottle supply only. There was only one basin below one tap and there was no toilet. The Doctor also has to live in the dispensary and there were no kitchen facilities and only very basic heating.
His only medical equipment was no more than a basic first aid kit and a stethoscope. Horea is a 'logging' area with the majority of men being foresters. The majority of cases that Doctor Catlin has to deal with are cuts and lacerations from the large open bladed wood saws that they use to rough saw the trees. He had no suture needles or silk for stitching wounds when we first met him. .
In September we installed a toilet and a wash basin into the living accommodation and provided him with some additional medical supplies. A further delivery went out in May to keep him going. As with the other projects we shall continue to supply Horea and also try to locate some more comprehensive medical equipment for the Doctor to continue his work.