Musale Children Hospital

Being right behind the ST Bus Stand means it’s never actually quiet here. You can hear the conductors shouting and the engines idling all day long. It’s a bit of a hectic spot for a children's hospital, but it makes it easy for parents coming in from out of town. They just hop off the bus and walk around the corner. Inside, it’s usually a mix of kids crying and others running around the lobby if they’re feeling okay enough. We have some colorful posters on the walls to try and make it look less like a hospital, though they’re getting a bit faded now. The floors are white tile and we spend a lot of time mopping them because of all the muddy footprints. We’ve got a small staff, just a few of us who’ve worked together for a long time. We know which floorboards creak and which light switches are finicky. At night, when the bus traffic dies down, the place feels completely different. We keep the lights dim in the wards. It’s a lot of work, especially when several kids are sick at once and the parents are worried. We don’t have a fancy canteen, just a small corner where we keep a kettle and some biscuits for when we can’t leave the desk. It’s just how things are run here. We stay open round the clock because you never know when a family might arrive on that last late-night bus from the village.