Ever wondered what it is like to go to a dentist in the backwaters of India?
Behind a sliding door on the first floor of a dimly lit shopping
complex lies Dr Norboo's office. The small shopping complex doesn't
have the luxury of lights, handrails on the staircase or even floor
tiles over the concrete floors. The shopping mall isn't even choking
in diesel fumes like every other shopping complex in Leh. This place
simply has no electricity.
His reception room is cozy and unassuming. You can see there is an
attempt at cleanliness that has far fallen short of our Western
expectations. In the corner are some old dental looking machines
covered in dust. One looks like one of those machines that sucks the
saliva out of your mouth the other machine looks appropriately
official but equally as forlorn. Two locals sit on one of the waiting
benches that surround the tiny room. There isn't a receptionist, no
patient records or any computers. The two locals tell me the doctor is
in and I am next in line.
Before long two tourists emerge from behind the curtain separating the
doctors office from the waiting room. They are full of smiles and on
my asking tell me the doctor is very professional.
It is my turn and I enter the room to greet the doctor. He seems very
young, almost kid like and he has a cheap led headlamp on his head.
His office barely has enough room for a manual dental chair and a few
other pieces of equipment that look no better then the dust covered
ones in his waiting room. This room hasn't been cleaned much better
then the waiting room. Basic dental tools are spread on a bench on
towels. He asks me a few quick questions cleans a couple of his tools
(to my relief) and reclines the chair. He motions for me to open my
mouth and he turns his headlamp on. After gently poking around (he had
to have been the gentlest dentist I have ever encountered) he
proclaims that I have an infection in one of my tooth roots and I need
antibiotics and dental treatment in the near future. After a quick
oral questionnaire of my allergies and current medication he hands me
a prescription on a piece of scrap paper.
His checkup fee? Two dollars. Throw in a weeks worth of antibiotics
for another two dollars at the pharmacy next door and I should be good
enough to go to Chandigarh to experience India's reputation in dental
tourism.
He is probably the most professional and caring of any dentist I have
met. That said I wouldn't trust the condition of his office for any
more then he did. You have to remember Leh did not have regular power
or water before the flash floods. Water comes around on carts and is
moved in buckets to a central tank in the restaurants and shops in
town.
Tyson
PS I am basically okay now. The two days of being in bed unable to
sleep because of tooth pain has almost come to an end thanks to the
antibiotics. It is hard to chew or swallow but luckily for me Indian
food is delicious with the consistency of baby food.
The clean up from the floods continues without me. About 600 tourists
a day help out with digging etc. The death toll looks to be at about
1000 if you count those still missing. Unlike the earthquake a few
years ago in Kashmir the mud fills in all the gaps leaving no place to
"hide". Around 10 tourists were killed while trekking. Hundreds of
others are still awaiting evacuation off trekking routes. In some
cases helicopters are used in other cases they wait. A multitude of
foreign embassies have grouped together to help all foreigners
involved. Although the Canadian embassy is no where to be seen the
British embassy has been very helpful. There are daily tourist
meetings where we are given updates. The locals continue to be
gracious hosts. They Buddhist monks when not shoveling prepare food
for volunteers. Foreigners work side by side with locals. Some of the
workers from the rest of India have reportedly fled on foot. We have
been warned walking the 500km or so out is too risky due to lack of
food, bridges and still heavy slide prone soils. Many locals still
insist on sleeping at the Stupas or high up in the mountains. They are
very much afraid still although they do not show it. No one even cries
or looks sad here. They accept the tragedy as life.
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