Basement Slab - Prep Work

Despite the continued hartals, work on the basement slab and other fill/compaction work has been ongoing.  Tonight we finally received a shipment of pipe so under slab work can be completed over the next few days.  This will allow us to finish laying the poly, brickwork and thin layer of lean concrete.

Laying poly then a base layer of brick

Excavator moving soil around the site to speed up the cutting/fill work.

The brick flat soling starting to shape up

Casting a thin layer of lean concrete for a work surface and additional waterproofing

Jon

Christmas Teas

Bengalis like celebrations and they love their tea so over the Christmas season these are combined to make many Christmas Teas. A time to get together to eat some bengali sweets, drink some tea and tell the Christmas Story.

The Construction workers at a tea put on by the hospital staff

Tea at our house for our's and another couple's employees and their families 

(Jia, the guy getting his hair pulled by his daughter helps in our house and Goni, a gardener we share with a couple other families, is just behind/beside Holly)

 

Christmas program at the Chabagan Church. Lower numbers this year than last due to hartals, but still many hundred people. After church we walked around the village to have tea with many of the national hospital staff.

Holly opening her Christmas presents (Peanut Butter, Honey, Soya Milk and some Cadbury Dark Chocolate). The ongoing political unrest has made it difficult to get to town for supplies, but I was thankful we could get one of the doctors that was in town to bring these gifts down for us.

Jon

Project PhotoSphere (Test)

Views: December 18, 2013 by Jonathan Barrett

Playing with Holly's android phone, which does photospheres.

I am standing in the middle of the building site.

Jon

MCH Babies and Kiddos



I have been snapping a lot of photos in the hospital recently for promotional material for the new building project.   We are often not aware of what is happening at the existing hosptal since we are busy with construction so wandering around and shaddowing the medical staff has been very interesting.  Kudos to the doctors and nurses for the challenging work that they do. 

 (a young patient on the female ward)

 

Children are treated for a wide variety of ailments at MCH.  Common bugs and viruses, snake bites, cooking fire burns, emergency c-section deliveries, broken bones, vehicle accident trauma, a piece of coconut wedged in a lung (removed through surgery) - to name a few recent cases.  There are certainly some heart wrenching stories but also some amazing recoveries.  It is always fun to visit the OB ward and see the new deliveries.

 

(Proud mothers with their newborn babies)

 

 (Women lining up with their grandbabies for bath time)

 

(This little one was not too impressed with bathing...)

`

 (But was happy to be swadled when it was over)

Holly

Samaritan's Purse / World Medical Mission Site Visit

We had the privilege of hosting a small delegation from Samaritan's Purse and World Medical Mission this past week. MCH has had a 30+ year relationship with SP/WMM and has greatly benefited from the many short term volunteers and pieces of medical equipment they have provided over these years. This group is also a major financial contributor to the new building project not to mention they currently provide 50% of Holly and my personal support. 

Left to Right

Ed Morrow - Director of World Medical Mission

Dr. Dick Furman - SP Board of Directors and co-founder of WMM

Dr. Kelley - MCH Medical Director

Roy Graham - Asst. Director of Facilities at the Billy Graham Association and Board of Directors of SP/WMM

Jon Barrett & Holly Barrett (Photographer) - MCH Renewal Project - Project Managers

Mr. Morrow, Dr. Furman and Dr. Kelley discussing the project

Doing a tour of the construction site

Holly showing Ed and Roy the building plans and renderings

Jon explaining the current status, progress and schedule to Roy and Ed

Jon Barrett

Basement Slab Prep and OPD Footings

The remaining foundation work in the 15,000 sq foot basement area is now completed (West wing). The workers are continuing to backfill and compact up to the required elevation for the slab casting. Compaction work can be a tedious job without heavy equipment, as every lift can only be a maximum of 6 inches thick to get adequate results for compaction. 

(Ongoing compaction work in the basement area)

Pile cap and short column work up to the first grade beam in the East wing is nearing completion. This area does not have a basement so there is some additional work to be completed to get the grade and columns up to the final finished floor grade.

(Site overview - from the Southeast)

The laborers have been earth cutting in the front Outpatient Department Waiting area. This area has spread footings for foundation support as it is only one and two levels.  The first few footings have now been cast in this area.

(Labors doing earth cutting and installing spread footing steel)

(Long hard days of cutting and hauling earth)

(First spread footing casting)

(Watching the first spread footing casting in the OPD waiting area)

At the end of the day It is always encouraging to walk through the existing building to see the great care and treatment that is able to be given despite the desperate need for a new facility.

(Dr. Fowler, doing rounds)

(Dr. Kelley and Dr. Piovesan doing a surgery in one of two existing OR suits. The cracking wall in the corner of the room can easily be seen.)

Jon Barrett