Where There Is No Doctor 2011
Dear Village Health Worker,
This book is mostly about people’s health needs. But to help your village be
a healthy place to live, you must also be in touch with their human needs. Your
understanding and concern for people are just as important as your knowledge of
medicine and sanitation.
Here are some suggestions that may
help you serve your people’s human
needs as well as health needs:
1. BE KIND. A friendly word, a smile, a
hand on the shoulder, or some other sign
of caring often means more than anything
else you can do. Treat others as your
equals. Even when you are hurried or
worried, try to remember the feelings
and needs of others. Often it helps to ask
yourself, “What would I do if this were a
member of my own family?”
Treat the sick as people. Be
especially kind to those who are very sick
or dying. And be kind to their families.
Let them see that you care.
HAVE COMPASSION.
Kindness often helps more than medicine.
Never be afraid to show you care.
2. SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE. As a health worker, your first job is to teach. This
means helping people learn more about how to keep from getting sick. It also means
helping people learn how to recognize and manage their illnesses—including the
sensible use of home
remedies and common
medicines.
LOOK FOR WAYS TO SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
There is nothing
you have learned that,
if carefully explained,
should be of danger to
anyone. Some doctors
talk about self-care as if it
were dangerous, perhaps
because they like people
to depend on their costly
services. But in truth, most
common health problems
could be handled earlier
and better by people in
their own homes.
w2