Written By: Amir Ahmed Sibda
The child sits on the bed, silent.
Feeling no pain.
The child lays on the bed, talking.
School zones shouldn’t have speeding taxis.
The child lays on the bed, screaming.
Betadine burns, and so does the POP cast.
The child hops off the bed, limping.
“Thank you”
She will walk again, but some never do.
Author Bio:
Written by Amir A. Sibda, a third-year medical student at University of Cape Town, this piece reflects on a clinical encounter at Vanguard CHC. The young girl’s nonchalance highlights how deeply normalised preventable trauma has become in the community. It stands as both a tribute to the resilient children seen in our clinics, and a poignant reminder of the victims who go unseen.