In Laos, we provide treatment for thyroid condition, a fact I am sure many of our supporters are aware of, but we haven’t really discussed thyroid conditions themselves.
Therefore, I would like to introduce the characteristics of thyroid diseases and how they are treated in Laos.
The thyroid glad is located in the neck and produces a hormone that allows our body to grow and keep working.
If there is too much of this hormone, many of the body’s functions become overactive, causing sweating, throbbing, trembling and diarrhoea.
This condition is called hyperthyroidism. In the other hand, insufficient production of thyroid hormone leads to dry skin, a slow pulse, reduced motivation and constipation. This condition is called hypothyroidism.
Additionally, even if there are no hormonal abnormalities, a mass may form in the thyroid gland.
We mainly treat these three conditions.
In Japan, there are hospitals in each region where you can do blood tests and cell tests to check for cancer.
However, this is not always possible in Laos. Due to various restrictions, visiting a doctor in Laos is not as simple as it is in Japan, but we do our best to provide medical care.
For instance, with hyperthyroidism, we use oral medicines to suppress the secretion of excessive hormones, and we usually adjust the dosage by comparing blood tests.
However, since frequent follow-ups and blood tests are difficult to do in Laos, the dosages are adjusted while observing a patient’s symptoms, physical condition and ultrasound results.
We also make sure to carefully give instructions on how to take the medicines and the side effects.
This is because patients in the countryside cannot easily return to the hospital so it is important to understand the medicine they are taking.
We also use ultrasounds to determine a thyroid patient’s likelihood of cancer.
Of course, it is not always correct, so the decision to operate is based on a comprehensive examination of whether the tumour will grow larger or whether there are any symptoms caused by the tumour.
Because of this environment which differs from the medical situation in Japan, we must consider examinations and treatments flexibly.
Providing medical care in developing countries is difficult, but also rewarding.
Currently, I am not able to go to the clinic because of the pandemic, but if a local doctor is treating patients and there are any complications, I will consult with them remotely and work together to help the patient.
I am looking forward to the day when the situation is improved enough for me to be able to interact with patients and doctors on-site.
Japan Heart long-term volunteer, Kouki Morita