Pornography, Zambia Style
By Pat Racimora on July 16, 2009 at 8:01 PM in Current Affairs
This story is about something obscene all right, but not in the way we usually think of the term. No naked bodies engaging in unseemly acts using odd equipment. Only a pregnant woman, unable to afford private care, desperately trying to find a hospital to help her give birth to a baby who was about to be born breech. But two clinics and Zambia’s largest hospital would not admit her because the staff was on strike. The naked mother lay on the street outside the hospital. The baby’s feet were dangling out.
Family members took photos. The baby died.
But wait! The story takes an even more bizarre twist.
The harrowing photos were sent to Chansa Kabwela, the news editor of the Post, Zambia’s best selling newspaper. The editor chose not to publish them because they were so upsetting. Yet she did decide to forward them to government ministers as a way of starkly illustrating the plight caused by the hospital strikes in the hopes that they would become involved in alleviating the crisis.
So, did the sad photos cause government officials to attempt to alleviate the situation by finding ways to help desperate people in need to immediate care?
Well, not exactly.
Ms. Kabwela has been charged with disseminating pornography. Her trial is set to begin in August.
Now, that’s obscene!
(See more on the story here and a protest editorial appearing in the Post here.
(Release: November 13)
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That is such a sad and disturbing story. How does one ever recover from such a traumatic experience? My heart goes out to this poor woman who endured the unthinkable.
The simplicity of your ‘toon is wrenching–the tiny little feet trying to emerge, but never to make it into the world, and never to take step one. And to imagine the agony and helplessness of the mother . . . very powerful.
Unbelievable.
The graphic says it all, Pat. My older son worked in Africa for over a year and said the health care of the black community was appalling. Most of the TB cases, of which there were many, were trucked to small religious clinics. The one he used was staffed by nuns of the Scared Heart. The funds and supplies were minimal but the nuns offered, at the very least, a place for people to die with dignity.
Some of the stories he brought home were beyond imagination. Those of us in the States, regardless of our economic situation, really have little concept of what “non-care” looks like in many parts of the world. Places where a child can die of systemic pink eye or women, like this woman, are left unattended with a breached birth or die miserably from post-partum infection.
It’s a horrific eye-opener.
Pat, wow – what a toon. What a tragic story. Breaks my heart. Thanks for bringing this to the light of day…
How quickly the cartoons come. Your creativity must have no limits.
I think that the government was actually very creative in dealing with the problem. I am surprised that the Bush administration had not thought of it first. Oh YEAH, in a way they did when they thought showing video of our soldiers coming home in coffins was too offensive for the public.
Take this to it absurd limit, we will have to eliminate telephone polls as being a phallic symbol and therefore sexually offensive. We will have to stop showing any crime or accident photos as they may be titillating to some twisted viewers. I could go on, but I am sure I made my point.
We must be vigilant to make sure that our government does not even get close to deciding what is obscene or all information and therefore all freedoms can be lost.
Rich
Pat, poignant, truly so.
Perhaps a quick telephone call from Hillary or other diplomat might yield a reprieve with this injustice. That they are so ignorant of the “big picture” is shocking…
800,000,000 (Eight Hundred Million) humans on our planet go to bed hungry every night. There are so many true life stories like this one Pat, thanks for sharing it with us. Even here in the U.S., there are stories like this one. We must fix OUR OWN health insurance here in the U.S. so everyone is covered. No one goes without basic health care.
If we stopped our killings in the Mid-East and in Central Asia, and closed our bases in 125 countries that our troops are stationed, maybe we could have the money to keep us all well.
You’re absolutely right. My son lost his job. We’ve been paying all their bills. Everything, they’ve not asked the state or anyone for help other than medical for his pregnant wife. He and his family moved in with us. He’s been looking for a job since. His wife is due in a couple months. She couldn’t be fixed before now because of her age, couldn’t take BC because she has tested positive for cancer cells. Now they’re going to fix her.
When they lost their insurance on themselves and the boys, we paid for it for awhile, then our insurance allowed us to add our grandchildren. We’re their sole support right now. My daughter in law went to the county hospital to get checked today, she fell. She’s not gotten good prenatal care with this infant at all because they had no insurance. No one would see her.
The state of CA has refused her medical, which is all she asked for. 3 times during this pregnancy. No income, nada, and she and my son were denied any type of help, when all they asked for was medical for her.
They informed her at the hospital today they couldn’t see her, till my son said, “Look we had our first child when we were teenagers. I got a job and missed my senior year of high school, which is why it’s been so hard for me to get another job right now. So I could support him. We got married. I’ve worked this whole time, till I lost my job. Now you’re telling me I not only have to give my wife prenatal care, I also have to deliver my own child? We’ve already been using over the counter vitamins.”
They said we’re sorry she was denied any coverage. If you wait till she’s in hard labor they will have to see her. My son said, “We are not in this country illegally. We shouldn’t have to wait till she is in hard labor. 3 times they’ve denied us with no reason. We didn’t ask for food stamps or cash aid. My parents are supporting us right now. If she goes in labor now the baby will be in ICU a long time. That won’t cost the state more than stopping her from going into labor, checking to make sure our child is OK? That’s fine. I’m calling a lawyer. I want a public hearing on why she was denied. I’m also calling the newspapers, let’s go.” I don’t know who the lady called, but they came after he and saw her. Plus made her a follow up appointment.
A courageous and poignant story, Diana.
I guess the state masterplan assumes that when she’s ready to deliver she will get to go to the emergency room and take a number and sit down alongside all of the illegal aliens who are there.
And this is California, not Zambia . . .
This is SO sad. And right here in my own state. HORRIBLE–this is almost like my story except for the location.
Diana,
Your daughter-in-law and indeed The whole family ws turned down by Medi-Cal? I think they need to look more closely into what is making them ineligible, because at least the children and your DIL should get coverage, although the cuts in Medi-Cal are affecting a lot of things.
There are often non-profit clinics available for people with no health insurance, and/or no money. In San Diego County we have Neighborhood House, and I think there are others too. They will see anyone. If you have some type of insurance great, otherwise they charge on a sliding scale that goes from free to as much as you can afford.
There may be something similar in your area of the State. Good luck.
There is no help if you are white in CA. Nothing.
Diana, thanks for sharing a heartache, it is not easy to witness the gross indifference of our healthcare in California and the country.
Please let us know how the father mother and child are doing opon the arrival of your grandchild.
God speed.
good for him.sometimes you just gotta stand up to them..
…while the useless, fat-ass bureaucrats in the UN are reaching for Brioschi and Mylanta after their pig-outs at Le Cirque and the like. These defacto criminals should be tossed out in the street without their fat salaries and incredibly corrupt pensions and then dropped by parachute into the middle of Rwanda or Darfur so they can have a good look at the main reason American citizens send so much money to the UN, and for naught. I know a retired UN worker from Haiti who worked in the Agricultural section. His pension is obscene. The only thing this idiot could ever grow are the potatoes out of his ears. It is so sad.
OMG, I spent so much effort to address this horrible condition and I am spammed. It was an indictment of the UN and their fat-ass disgusting bureaucrats and the money they gobble up in exorbitant salaries, expense accounts, and obscene pensions!!!!
……while the fat-ass bureaucrats, the defacto criminals, in the UN reach for their Mylanta and Brioschi from pigging-out at Le Cirque and the like. Disgusting shit-heads. I’d like to parachute them into the middle of Rwanda and Darfur to have a good look at where our money should be going.
I am speechless!
It cuts deeply to hear what humans do to one another. What women and children have gone through over the centuries hurts even worse for me.
a) Childbirth is dangerous .Breech births are particularly tricky .
b) Fistulas are very common in 3rd world countries.
But many communities have obviously been successful at birthing without the need for hospitals. but they have lost their skills in the face of “modern medicine”.
The message ought be appropriate & economical healthcare as best they can afford.
NGOs are the big problem -they deskill locals, take their jobs 7 replace their community standards with their own.
Excellent points, Hot Librarian. I especially was taken with your comment about how people become deficit in readily learnable skills as vocations/professions specialize.
Excellent post Pat, thank you for bringing this to our attention. What a horrible story.
I wonder what people think about Obama donating $63 Billion to Africa for health care.
I am glad he spoke about the need for good governance, while pledging the money, but I am skeptical. So much money that is donated to Africa is stolen and never ends up in the right hands.
I don’t like the idea of sending billions when the governments pull crap like Pat shared in this story.
How can you help when it seems the leaders of the African countries don’t want to *fix things*.
Also, like Diana shared above, we have these health care nightmares in America, too.
Agreed AGI–Di the people who really need what we give away really ever see any benefit or does it simply make the insensitive power-crazy leaders richer? We can no longer waste our treasure as we need it gere at home.
It’S SAD THIS IS GOING ON.But many ARE illegally here in our country and the Fraud Obama wants to spend over 50 billion for these people here in America. Yep he does. When our coutry gives so much to other coutries for this and when the big guys and the hospityal dips into it for themselves is wrong.Just saying… Just as in Chicagio Ill Hospital mo AND OBAMA CHARGE 350 % TO people who did not have insurance,MO sat on the board.Then when they could not pay.The hospital send their lawyers after them.But hello..350 % more then people with insurance. This fraud does not care of anyone of race or color.POWER AND TAKE OVER IS WHAT HE WANTS.As MO said” There is no law that will stop her husband” what message was she getting out and to who..congress-senators ect.. get the hell out of our country obama. !!!!!
We will soon be just as this lady is.bUT, IT MAKES ME WONDER IS THIS A JOKE ? sO, the fgraud can bring this up to pass the biggest tax hike in history ? dON’T KNOW.BUT WOULD NOT PUT IT PASS THE FRAUD !
It’S SAD THIS IS GOING ON.But many ARE illegally here in our country and the Fraud Obama wants to spend over 50 billion for these people here in America. Yep he does. When our coutry gives so much to other coutries for this and when the big guys and the hospityal dips into it for themselves is wrong.Just saying… Just as in Chicagio Ill Hospital mo AND OBAMA CHARGE 350 % TO people who did not have insurance,MO sat on the board.Then when they could not pay.The hospital send their lawyers after them.But hello..350 % more then people with insurance. This fraud does not care of anyone of race or color.POWER AND TAKE OVER IS WHAT HE WANTS.As MO said” There is no law that will stop her husband” what message was she getting out and to who..congress-senators ect.. get the hell out of our country obama. !!!!!
We will soon be just as this lady is.bUT, IT MAKES ME WONDER IS THIS A JOKE ? sO, the fraud can bring this up to pass the biggest tax hike in history ? dON’T KNOW.BUT WOULD NOT PUT IT PASS THE FRAUD !
Hey, the punch line is a doozie. That female editor going on trial for attemtping to clarly show the seriousness of the plight of those needing care.
I am going to watch that trial. It seems women count for less than nothing there.
Tricia, what a heartbreaking story. Your toon is wonderful as always and makes clear the harrowing events that occurred.
Well drawn, well written!
Thank you Pat, what a bitter life…
thanks Pat.i come here every day.just to see your toons
and articles..(hugs)
A tragic story, Pat. Simple, but effective cartoon
Pregnant women in this country who face a lack of access to medical attention because of no insurance may want to check out this national midwives organization for possible assistance:
http://mana.org/
Google “midwives” for additional sites in some states.
Thanks folks for dropping by this sad story and “toon.” It was a tough one for me to do. I appreciate that almost all of you could see what I was trying to portray.
Oh, my God! What a double-whammy. . .
Having recently had my first child, I can’t imagine the situation in which the woman found herself. I mean, I can, but I can’t. . .
*sigh*. . .
Excellent toon Pat.
Dramatic and compelling in its simplicity. Which only reinforces the stark horrors of the story.
I recall David Axelrod was hired by Michelle Obama’s Chicago University Hospital to institute a Public relations campaign to encourage poor mothers attending the hospital for births and other health matters to go somewhere else. Various techniques, according to Axelrod’s dubious guidelines, were then tried out by Michelle and she later received honorable mention by the hospital that thanks to ME’s efforts managed to get rid of hundreds of ‘expensive’ patients by diverting them to other health sites.
Mechele Obama and Axelrod were pioneers of hte Zambian Method then! Dumping Patients became most profitable–thanks to the Wonder Team of Mechele and David Axe….