After morning rounds dr. Zenebe picked me up as I was planning to do surgery with him at the newest and largest private hospital in addis. Hospital is owned by a very entrepreneurial gynecologist. It is in a beautiful spot high in the hills in the outskirts of addis. I am told that they would not allow him to buy land in the city because he refused to pay bribes to the officials. Now there is an entirely new suburb spawned by what was previously a remote hospital. We are operating on a fellow who fell off scaffolding on a building site, broke his neck and is quadriplegic. Very efficient operating room personnel in contrast to The Black Lion.
Obligatory tea after surgery and they then serve us lunch in the o.r. Lounge, such as it is. Everyone is devouring their injera, but they were very kind to ask me if I would prefer a European meal. They bring me a huge plate of spaghetti.
After lunch I go with Tadios, the first and for a long time the only neurosurgeon in Ethiopia. He is giving a lecture at the Army Hospital on the history of neurosurgery in Ethioipia. In 2008 their three, there are now 6, and in 5 years, if all current residents finish, there will be 22.
Late in the afternoon I return to my apartment to see a very interesting patient.
I am picked up at 7:00 by Alex, a delightful Chinese fellow,age32, who with his Chinese friend, dr. Wong, owns one of the three MRI scans in addis. They also own the only MRI in Djibouti. They have a Chinese MRI machine which is 1/5 the power of the most common machine in the U.S., but I can tell you that the images are excellent. They charge $90 for a brain MRI that is a minimum of $1200 at home, and usually more. Admittedtly our scans are more complete, but they will supply equivalent scans on request.
After touring their facility we all go to their favorite Chinese restaurant in Addis for a 10 course Chinese feast that is by far the best meal I have had in addis. Not a single dish even remotely resembles anything in a Chinese restaurant at home, but each dish was different and amazing. They selected (and treated us to) the entire meal.
After dinner, it is now 10:00 , Wong wants to take us to his house to meet his lovely wife who is a radiologist. We have tea and some Chinese snacks. A marvelous and unexpected conclusion to my last night in addis.
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