The following story was written by The Christian Nurses Association in Congo and submitted to the Florence Nightingale 2021 website, managed by the Ontario Nurses Association.
The creation of The Christian Nurses Association in Congo (AICC) was formed November 4, 2014. The AICC was created following the deterioration of the economic and social decline in our country as in most under resourced countries. Non-payment of low wages, low supply of equipment, care materials and the continuing lack of medications pushes nurses not to do the job well or to give up on our profession. It is in this context, knowing that the history of the nursing profession has seen difficult times in years past as well, that we have used the example of Florence NIGHTINGALE.
We cared for a 10-year-old girl who was hospitalized from April 25 to July 5, 2021. 71 long days! She presented with a necrotizing wound, which resulted in a total removal of the tibia because the bone was no longer viable. The treatment consisted of a wet dressing with a solution we call “KIBADI”. The solution consists of a combination of antibiotics & anti-fungal: Flagyl 1 GM, Furadantin 1 GM, Choramine 1 GM, 1 liter of NS sterile fluid. Dressing changes were done twice a day with appropriate analgesics along with IV Antibiotic therapy. Surgical intervention included wound debridement and the removal of her tibia.
The patient was discharged with a healed wound and walks with a crutch today. Without the professional, caring and compassionate nursing care of the AICC nurses this young girl would have lost her life. The nurses of the AICC throughout the North Ubangi Province in NW Congo serve our communities to save and improve the lives of all people in our communities.
Respectfully submitted from the town of KARAWA, DR Congo by:
Luc-Dieudonné BUTU RN, President of the Association of Christian Nurses in Congo
Augustin MOLEKE RN, Vice President of AICC
Djeff KONGBO RN, and JP NDALAFO RN AICC members
In collaboration with Ann Hagensen RN, President of the Medical Ambassadors with the Paul Carlson Partnership, Chicago, IL.
