From: Jim Rosenfield <jnr@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Date: 05 Oct 92 22:25 PDT
Subject: Re: 10/5 Africa/Hunger news stories
Nf-ID: #R:cdp:1471700158:cdp:1471700163:000:3544
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!jnr    Oct  5 22:25:00 1992


/* Written 10:23 pm  Oct  5, 1992 by jnr in cdp:hunger.general */
APn  10/02 1217  Somalia-US Doctor

WIth permission of The Associated Press. 

By EDITH M. LEDERER   

BAIDOA, Somalia (AP) -- Dr. Jean Michel served in the U.S. Army
during World War II, but never left the United States. Today, at
age 71, she's on the front line for the first time, in this
famine-stricken town where gun gangs rule. 

"I've become a wild person," she said with a broad smile. "I'm
not frightened. I realize I could go home in a bag." 

Rifle-toting Somalis frequently burst into Baidoa's only hospital
demanding that Michel or a colleague operate on an injured
comrade-in-arms. Gunfire is commonplace, at any hour. 

For the widowed orthopedic surgeon with sparkling eyes, it is all
part of the job -- and she isn't even getting paid. 

It began when she received a letter from the Los Angeles-based
International Medical Corps saying it was desperate for
orthopedic surgeons to go to Somalia. 

Michel retired years ago after 38 years in orthopedics, the last
30 in Lompoc, Calif. She had been doing a little work at an
Indian reservation and decided that it was not too late for a new
challenge. 

"I've been to the Third World before," she said. "I've never been
to a war before. ... This is the first volunteer job I've done.
It's just another thing to do." 

Her first job was as a chemist. Then she became a meteorologist.
In World War II, the Army sent her to study physical therapy and
she worked as a therapist in Battle Creek, Mich. When she got
out, she used the G.I. Bill to attend the University of Southern
California Medical School. 

In Somalia, she starts the day doing pullups on a tree in the
yard of the medical compound. Then, she does sit-ups. After
breakfast, she's usually the first out the door, ready to don her
green surgical garb at a moment's notice. 

Baidoa Hospital has no qualified Somali surgeons, so the
International Medical Corps has put in a surgical team of doctors
and nurses. Their main job has been handling gunshot wounds and
accident cases. 

The biggest eye-opener for Michel has been the primitive state of
the surgery: she says it is equivalent to that practiced during
the U.S. Civil War, with an added dose of antibiotics and
intramuscular painkiller for surgery. 

"We have no X-rays, lights, electricity or running water, and the
cleanliness leaves a lot to be desired. We dip water out of an
oil barrel to wash our hands," she said. 

"There is no laboratory work except malaria smears and
blood-typing. I think we have one thermometer. We practice
medicine by clinical expertise -- `He's hot!' or `He's cold!"' 

Her greatest frustration has been the entrenched Somali
opposition to amputation. 

"So many of these people are nomads," she said. "If they don't
have two legs, they choose to die rather than have an
amputation." 

She spoke of a 70-year-old man with three children who were
wounded in a bomb blast. One child was hit below the calf and the
leg now was useless. 

"But the father is determined he's not going to let us amputate."


"I get the feeling life is cheap," she said. "I've seen people
die, and parents and relatives show no emotion." 

"You want to help people. But in the long run, it makes you
wonder whether you're doing the right thing if you save these
people and you have a bigger and better famine in 10 years. What
have you done?" 

Still, she has not given up. Her month here is almost finished.
She is going home to California. But she is coming back here in
November. 
 

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