Return to the Valley of the Yellow Baboon

I so enjoyed my first stint working as the doctor for the Luangwa Safari Association Medical Fund that I couldn’t resist a reprise when the opportunity came up this year.  I’m still the lone American in the long line of volunteer doctors who have filled this position since it was created by the vision of Jo Pope at Robin Pope Safaris here in the Luangwa Valley in 1997. 

Once again, I’m the only doctor for miles around dividing my time between working with the nurses at the government-run Kakumbi Rural Health Center in the village of Mfuwe and providing urgent and emergent medical care for the staff and guests of the safari lodges in and around lovely South Luangwa National Park.  Just traveling to see my patients is often an adventure, and providing medical care in this remote under-equipped place remains quite challenging.