The Watchman Sleeps.

This week at Kameme Health Center’s monthly staff meeting we addressed some of the many issues addressing our rural health facility: lack of supplies (including HIV test kits, HIV/AIDS drugs, Malaria Rapid Test kits, mops, Malaria medications, a way to sterilize equipment, staff shortages, electricity and more).  These meetings usually last all day and accomplish very little, maybe this exchange shows us why:

The in-charge: A problem has been reported that the night watchman has been sleeping on-duty. As if this was his home and he was being paid to sleep…

Night Watchman #1: You are cheating me, I never sleep on-duty!

Night Watchman #2:  We do have a problem!  I fell asleep on-duty and had bad dreams.  There were thieves chasing me in my sleep, at the Health Center!  How can we fix this?

I wish it were a joke.

But it sort of made me pleased as punch that it was reality.

And then cynical.

And then a little pleased again.

And then I wrote it down.

So I smirked again.