Issue no 2, 1999 -- English edition -- home
Page: -- Contents -- 1, 2, 3, 4, (5), 6, 7, 8
In April, 19 Swedish newspapers had shorter or longer articles about the Rotary Doctor Bank. "Barometern", one of the largest newspapers outside of the main cities, devoted a whole page to jeep-doctor Bo Gustafsson, from Virserum, under the title "Doctor receives in the shade of a tree".
His son Markus Gustafsson travelled to Kenya "to find out why a Smålander doctor chooses to spend his vacation and celebrate his 60th birthday as a jeep-doctor among the Masai."
"What is the attraction?" wonders the son, who now follows in the jeep.
"The road can best be compared to a tractor path, with wheel ruts as if from logging machines on a Smålandian clear-fell. The jeep pitches between grassy clumps. It is oppressively hot, 40 Celsius in the shade."
Markus then shares in the experience of being a jeep-doctor. He begins to understand how much the jeep-doctor means for people who have never before been able to see a doctor.
The father Bo Gustafsson is no romantic.
"In many ways, it is the same work as at a care centre back home in Sweden. In both places, it is about basic health care. Just like in Sweden, there are virus diseases, colds, muscle and joint pain, and not the least, psychosomatic problems. However, the deficiency diseases are many, malaria and stomach diseases common, and the undernourished children easily get pneumonia. Health care is much neglected."
Then Markus learns why his father goes out, this time also passing up his birthday party.
"This is a much needed breathing space from my tasks in Swedish health care, while at the same time I know there is a very great need for my contributions in Africa."
This recurring section has been moved to a common root page.