Today I took an interesting trip to another area of Dhaka to visit Apollo Hospital. Due to tiny ear canals, I have to routinely have wax removed from my ears to prevent hearing loss. So, today I visited an Ear Nose Throat (ENT) specialist to have this procedure performed. Apollo Hospital and Clinic was completely different from the hospital we visited a few weeks ago to see patients of the Savar building collapse. It is only fair that I mention the Apollo hospital as well. Not everything in Dhaka is "third world country" classification. This hospital was modern and clean. It was almost like being in America again. However, there were some very distinct cultural differences.
The registration area was outdoors in an atrium-type area. This was disconcerting and refreshing at the same time. After registration, I made my way upstairs to the ENT office. I found a seat in the small waiting area and immediately noticed a few things. First, the exam rooms and the doctor's office were approximately two feet away in full view of the waiting area. Bangladesh is a very open society with hardly any privacy. This clinic was no exception. Next, each patient had 5-6 family members accompanying them to their doctor visit. I figured out very quickly that it is generally unacceptable for a woman to go alone to the doctor in Bangladesh. I got a "stare down" from another female during my entire wait. No amount of smiles from me worked with this woman. Oh well.
The doctor himself was a man of few words, but all action. He asked me one or two questions, made a quick examination of my ears, performed the wax removal procedure and quietly left the room. I was then escorted to his office to discuss the result of my examination. I found this rather interesting because in America both the procedure and the discussion are done in the exam room. Yet, it felt more polite and professional to discuss my exam in the doctor's office.
There is no moral to this blog post. Just random thoughts and observations about another aspect of Bangladesh culture.
The registration area was outdoors in an atrium-type area. This was disconcerting and refreshing at the same time. After registration, I made my way upstairs to the ENT office. I found a seat in the small waiting area and immediately noticed a few things. First, the exam rooms and the doctor's office were approximately two feet away in full view of the waiting area. Bangladesh is a very open society with hardly any privacy. This clinic was no exception. Next, each patient had 5-6 family members accompanying them to their doctor visit. I figured out very quickly that it is generally unacceptable for a woman to go alone to the doctor in Bangladesh. I got a "stare down" from another female during my entire wait. No amount of smiles from me worked with this woman. Oh well. The doctor himself was a man of few words, but all action. He asked me one or two questions, made a quick examination of my ears, performed the wax removal procedure and quietly left the room. I was then escorted to his office to discuss the result of my examination. I found this rather interesting because in America both the procedure and the discussion are done in the exam room. Yet, it felt more polite and professional to discuss my exam in the doctor's office.
There is no moral to this blog post. Just random thoughts and observations about another aspect of Bangladesh culture.
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