Monday at the office...

I spent today at the Asha Office.  This morning I was in a very busy surgery (well it's Monday) with Dr S.  Mothers-in-law in India are no joke!  When you marry her son, you move in with her and she controls your life! We had a lady come in this morning in her 4th pregnancy.  Why the 4th pregnancy? Her Mum-in-law told her to!  Will I ever get to grips with this culture?  Anyway this the Asha office from the other side of the road:

and closer to...

and here are the two new clinic buses waiting to be put into use (funding for running costs needed)

Then after lunch in Freddy's office, Dr S, Dr R, Kiran and I had a meeting to discuss updating the drug formulary.  This is a list of drugs that Asha keeps in stock to sell at cost price to slum dwellers.  The list needs careful consideration and regular updating to ensure it is clinically appropriate and as cost efficient as possible.  As we discussed, the local pharmacist was popping backwards and forwards from his shop to advise about availability and costings.  We made quite a few changes which we hope will improve the standard of care offered, while keeping costs down as much as possible.  Here are Dr R and Dr S with our lists and books!

Now if you have read earlier blogs you will know what happens on a Monday evening...the fruit and veg market!  Bianca hadn't been before so we went early this evening to see what was there today.  We were in time to watch many of the stallholders setting up - and making their stalls look beautiful.  Do you prefer your artwork with carrots...

or spices and pulses...?

Anyway these are tonight's purchases.  I probably spent around £5-6 in total!

Bananas, mangos, a water melon, carrots, aubergines, okra, beans, a cabbage, tomatoes, and a veg that I have no idea yet what it is or what to do with it...but we'll experiment!