Thailand APPE: Summer 2018: HIV/AIDS Clinic and Orphanage

Today was one of our last clinic visits of the trip and our last fill day in Chiang Mai. We started the day early, to make a 1.5-2 hour car ride to Chiang Daw Hospital. We were given a couple of lectures to go over the hospital and the programs for HIV/AIDS and TB. After the lectures we were given a tour of the hospital. We were able to visit the emergency room, the delivery room and maternity ward, the pharmacy, the thai traditional medicine ward, and the lab. The main focus of the hospital and our visit was HIV/AIDS. A lot of what we were shown is very similar to what we are used to. One of the major difference that I noticed was the delivery room. It was set up with 3 beds in the same room, only being separated by a curtain. We were also told that no family members, not even the father of the child, is allowed in the room while the mother is giving birth. They said it was to avoid over crowding, but still, I was very surprised by this. I have attached a picture of the room.

After lunch we visited the HIV/AID Orphan Care Ban Mitrathon. The orphanage began as a school for grades 6th to 9th in order to help prevent young girls from being sold into the sex trafficking trade. The school then opened the orphanage for children affected with HIV/AIDS and those non-infected, as well. They sent the children to local schools prior to the 6th grade, but later found out that they were not being allowed inside with the other students and were being treated unfairly. So they decided to bring the children back to the orphanage and now have school from kindergarten to 9th grade. The children at the orphanage range from 3 months old to 20 years old. Most of the children today were in school and attending to their chores so we were not able to interact with them. We were able to see and play with 4 beautiful young girls, aged 3 months, 8 months, 2 years and 3 years old. All of the children were so well behaved and seemed very happy and healthy. It was such an amazing experience to be able to play with the girls and see them open up to us as time went on (they were all very shy at first). It really pulled at the heart strings and it was sad having to say goodbye but I am glad I was able to be a part of their day.