On Wednesday I celebrated my birthday in style: by filling 533 prescriptions for 252 patients! Media exposure of our clinic over the past two days has really gotten the population excited about what we are doing here. Thursday was our last day of clinic and we were only open from 0800 until 1300. The local news station, however, told the public that we would be there all day. There was nearly a riot when we closed registration. A few hundred people were crowding the registration desk in the building's entryway. Another 20 or 30 people were loitering around the back door of the pharmacy, looking for a way to enter the building. The police had to be called in to disperse the crowd and thankfully the situation resolved without incident. While the situation could have ended badly and I do feel bad about having to turn people away, I hope it serves as an eye opener for the local healthcare system. I hope they are driven to improve their system and restore the public's faith in their abilities. I also hope that the public stands up voices their concerns. Our presence in Apia has exposed the public's desire for quality healthcare. Let Pacific Partnership 09 serve as the catalyst that transforms the healthcare system of Samoa.
Tomorrow we set sail for Tonga. I'll leave Samoa with fond memories that will last a lifetime. I've learned so much here, done and seen things that I couldn't have imagined just a few short weeks ago. We may not have transformed their healthcare system, but we have sown the seeds. If I'm lucky enough to return to Samoa in the future, I'm confident that I will witness the fruits of our labors.
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