Now we’ve finished the Ras Desta inventory as well. On Friday we roamed around and rounded up all the remaining equipment. This meant searching through a lot of very old and very dusty storage rooms. Ras Desta and Zewditu hospitals both have a problem with inefficient disposal methods. In order to get rid of a device, a committee of hospital personnel must unanimously agree to the disposal. This rarely happens because 1) They are wary to get rid of anything on the off chance it might be useful later, and 2) Corrupt personnel sometimes sell equipment slated for disposal, and no one wants to seem corrupt. We’ve been discussing the disposal issue with our mentor Albert, and we hope that future interns may get to study the problem more in depth.

For now it’s back to our computers, looking up prices and user manuals for the devices we’ve cataloged. This information will allow us to prepare the cost-benefit analysis of repairs for each device, as well as incorporate automated maintenance alerts into the database. Shortage of technicians is a big problem, so these features should make their jobs easier.

Random picture time! Since I already posted some pictures of the hospitals and the city, here are some views of the natural landscapes of Ethiopia.