This Little baby is one month old. He is having his first milk bottle in 12 hours. I went on a home visit after meeting the mum at the clinic. She is HIV + , so she wont breast feed. But she had nothing else to give him. So he was recieving porridge and dirty brown water with ants floating in it, to keep him hydrated. thanks to the fund, I supplied clean water and milk to this little baby boy and I went on Thursday evening after work to evaluate the home circumstances.

The baby sleeps on a floor, with his mum. Their house can only be describes as located in the middle of a paddy field. Sand bags sodden with water lie at the enterance, even with that the water tracked up to my knees. The mat on which the baby sleeps was sodden through, lying on a sodden floor. The mother puts sawdust there to absorb as much water as she can , when she can. Her rent is 5 euros a month and with that she struggles to pay and feed herself and the baby. It was cold in the house and there are no blankets or clothes for him. When i arrived unannonced there was only about 8 teaspoons of sugar in the house, nothing else. The baby was so hungary, cold and naked.

It was actually harrowing to imagine a one month child in such circumstances.
So whats happening;
I've arranged weekly home visits, fresh clean water and milk to be supplied to the baby.
Nutritional supplements, fruits, rice, sugar to the mother. I have lots of local contacts which Ive been working with since arriving who are organising a bed off the floor and a moses Basket for Toni now and I have linked with a lovely home visitor who is looking into alternative lodgings for the two of them. Somewhere with no damp, and secure.

When I met Baby he had gained no weight since birth. He is now beginning to thrive and is gaining weight everytime I see him. He also gave me my first smile last Thursday and piddled all over me, which as a doctor is a great sign, if he's getting enough in, he weeing it out!!!!