A Continental Health Paradox

22^nd October 2010

Conventionally we battle in healthy opposition, be it in football, netball and cricket. But the unconventional fight South Africa and Australia share is against health epidemics of paralleled prevalence.

The question of the epidemics we both are fighting is one that continues to shock even medical practitioners.

Dr. John Schwarz was a doctor at a mission hospital in South Africa for almost a decade. But in 1985 he returned home to establish a humble general practice in Camden, NSW.

“Initially when I came back to Australia, all those years ago, I thought this was going to be dead boring,” Dr Schwarz recalls.

South Africa is a nation plagued with high infant mortality, low life expectancy, political instability and rampant HIV/AIDS.

Australia is a plentiful country. We enjoy political stability. We are educated in a world-leading education system. We should live almost the longest out of all the developed nations and comfortably in safe houses, cars and communities.

Africa’s epidemic? HIV/AIDS.

Ours? Depression.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus affects more than 15% of South Africans. In the region of Dr. Schwarz’s work, Okhahlamba, more than 20% of adults, and 35% of pregnant mothers test positive.  The region is home to 150 000 people including 12 000 orphans.

“I find it really fascinating that my practice in Australia, the epidemic, the problem most numerous is depression. When we compare our lives we have in Australia, we have phenomenal lives. The South African’s work to get a pension of $25 a week.” Dr. Schwarz explains. “Depression is an extraordinarily destructive problem.”

Last year, up to 1million Australian adults, and 100 000 young people suffered from depression related illnesses.  It is estimated that 1 in 5 Australians will suffer from depression during their lifetime.

Depression is the black dog hidden from public view and HIV/AIDS is the often-ignored global pandemic. But their commonality lies in the helplessness, hopelessness and lack of self-worth of their sufferers.

Dr. Schwarz tells of a story on his last visit to South Africa. “We came across a 13 year old girl sitting absolutely desolate beside a hut. She had a swollen face with blisters that covered it,” he said, “We discovered she had been raped as an 8 year old, contracted HIV, but also suffered from Tuberculosis and Shingles. She had been unable to access treatment.”

Although seemingly less harsh conditions in Australia, stories of depression linger.

“The 20 year old university student with a loving family and regularly visiting friends. Her hidden diminishing self-confidence developed into a heightening sensitivity to personal criticism,” he said. “The social embarrassment to seek help led to its spiral out of control.”

The social stigma surrounding depression often prevents suffers from seeking treatment. Depression is a leading cause in suicide, the largest single cause of injury related death in Australia.

Is it disfavourable to position depression beside HIV/AIDS in a list of health pandemics?

The World Health Organisation predicts depression to become the second largest contributor to the global burden of disease in the next decade.

Dr. Schwarz explains that often the provision of treatment is the key in helping others.

“When you’re a doctor you really just help one person at a time. When someone comes into the surgery you look at their problems. As a doctor you cannot solve everybody’s health problems but you can provide high quality care for each of your patients,” he said.

Depression in Australia is as common as HIV/AIDS in Africa yet the stigma surrounding its diagnosis and treatment is debilitating for sufferers.

In South Africa, “the people that [my mission hospital are] helping have the most pristine view and surprisingly they appear to be mostly happy despite living in the most difficult circumstances,” Dr. Schwarz notes. “Yet it’s Australian’s suffering in the same degree from lack of self-worth, confidence and hope.”

Perhaps the solution for both pandemics lies in the hands of Australians? Would giving more to help those living with HIV/AIDS fill the void of self-worth for all current and future depression suffers?

 October is the Australian Government’s depression initiative, Beyond Blue’s Anxiety and Depression Awareness Month. Visit beyondblue.org.au

The Victoria Room | Bar and Restaurant

27 September 2010

Address: Level 1 235 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney 2010 
Phone: 02 93574488 
Website: www.thevictoriaroom.com 
Hours: Monday – Thursday 6.30am – 11.30pm, Friday and Saturday 6.30am – 1.30am, Sunday 6.30am – Midnight 
Median prices: Desserts $16, Cocktails $19 
Snapshot: A regal experience with a potentially pretentious price tag.

Lounging in opulence sipping cocktails, it’s almost inevitable to lapse into the colonial reverie and escape the bright lights of Sydney’s nightlife.

Victoria street-level double wooden doors open up to a dark suspense-filled staircase that ascends to uncover a room of rooms. Leather studded armchairs, velvet lounges and mahogany dining tables are separated by bamboo curtains beside gold brocade tapestry walls to create the epitome of dining experience.

Having had dinner and filled with discontent at the dessert menu elsewhere, we arrive at The Victoria Room in Darlinghurst at 10pm on a Saturday night without a reservation. Welcomed by the epoch-dressed maître we were invited to enjoy the extensive bar whilst a table is prepared for us. Our 15 minute wait and the 150-seat restaurant size are unnoticeable, distracted by the intrigue of chuckling and conversations amongst potted palms.

The intrigue continues as we’re ushered to a cozy booth already set to our intentions, dessert and drinks. A single emerald lamp glows with grandeur. Within minutes our waiter has scooted beside me in the booth to introduce himself and attend to our every need. The unconventional reality of sharing a booth with our waiter is overcome by his contagious charisma.

The extensive cocktail menu is unable to be overcome, choosing to order ‘omakaze’ or by discussion and recommendation by the waiter, as the menu suggests. The highly knowledgeable wait staffs are a credit adding to the regal experience. An original menu addition is a cocktail barometer with their innovative cocktails all assessed by sweet, sour, bitter and mild qualities. Our delicately served cocktails arrive without delay.

The dessert menu is filled with unique twists to classics. The weekend special was sticky date pudding with hazelnuts.  My party of three all chose individually with intentions to share. Our waiter was considerate to note the 15-minute wait for our oven baked poached pear tart and Belgian chocolate fondant selections.

The chocolate fondant rich, its centre oozing when cracked and the shortness of the cinnamon pastry melted in our mouths. The desserts are a highlight. The rose pannacotta was exceptionally smooth. My only critique is of my own accord, voiced by my company, “I feel like I’ve eaten your cocktail.”

The apparent popularity of the cocktails ordered is unfortunately not a guarantee of excellence.  I voiced my rose petal martini disappointments and its eau de toilette undertones to our bubbly waiter who apologized sincerely. Discontent is a costly mistake. The cocktails have an above average price tag of about $20, although I highly recommend their Piña Colada rendition, the Pina Agitata.

A pleasant evening of bohemian elegance, comfortable dining and superior service. Go with the intentions of regal fine dining at the matching price.

We drank:

Gilded Lily                         19

Beefeater Gin shaken with Amaro Montenegro Bitters, passionfruit, lemon and orange juices

Rose Petal                            19

Beefeater Gin shaken with lychee juice and rose syrup 

Pina Agitata                         19

White Cuban Style Rum built with pineapple juice, lime and mint.

We ate:

Rose Pannacotta with macerated strawberries & rose petal syrup                                              16 


Tart of poached Pear soaked in a rich brew of decadent mulled wine with double cream    16 


Warm Belgian chocolate Fondant with an elegant chocolate sauce & double cream             16

The Victoria Room serves dinner and dessert from 6pm-11pm and supper Friday and Saturday nights 11pm-2am.

A hospital’s request for assistance

30 August 2010

With an 80 year-old sterilizer and no X-Ray machine, effective health treatment is difficult for a hospital in the Nigerian town of Wusasa. 

The newly appointed chairman of Saint Luke’s Hospital in Wusasa, Nigeria visited Camden last week in hope of securing relationships to fund urgent improvements.

Professor Butcher Danaladi Jonathan George presented his requests to a Camden Rotary Club meeting on Thursday. “We are hoping for some redress,” said Professor Jonathon George. “Quite a lot of our instruments are obsolete.”

“One of the sterilisers we have has been there since 1930. Incidentally it is still in use,” he said. The hospital appreciates all donations, “even a 30-year old autoclave is newer than ours made in the thirties” he said.

Mr John Saunderson, Camden Rotary President-elect, said he was keen to discuss a partnership. “The presentation was moving,” he said. “We hope to determine a potential sponsorship plan at our next executive meeting.”

The once accredited Nigerian teaching hospital was established by British medical missionaries in 1929 and became “second to none in that area,” said the Professor. However, recent decades of poor financial management led to its loss of educational endorsement and its eventual rundown.

The private hospital suffers severely from Islamic extremist persecution and corruption. “We don’t have any sort of allocations from the government so therefore we had to stay on our feet,” Professor George said. “We make some small money from rural churches and of course that is not sustainable.”

In presentations to Camden Anglican, Professor George explained the steps needed to regain status as a quality training facility. “We have installed benches for our nursing school and only need a roof to finish our medical lecture room,” he said. “Paying our staff is our first priority.

“For months staff went with no pay. You cannot operate a hospital without nurses. Building projects just have to wait,” he said.

Recently two American Rotary clubs donated medical equipment.

“Now we have brand new generators 100 KVA, we have a blood bank where we can store blood, we also have a HIV/ Aids Screening unit where we screen the blood,” he said.

The Professor was hosted by Camden Anglican.