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Medical Facilities in Oltenia
The Bilta - Filiaşi bridge
For 60 years this wooden foot bridge over the Jiu River has served the people of Bilta village to cross the river as necessary. It is now a ghost bridge, because of the 'work' of the Filiasi town council.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe, 11th March 2013
Because there is now a concrete bridge over the Jiu, this foot bridge was very rarely used, but it was not closed by the Mayor, even though it was in bad condition because it had not been repaired. A few days before the closure, a woman trying to cross the Jiu fell through into the river. Because of this, the Town Council decided to rip up most of the floor boards of the bridge and burn them, sot hat it could not be used at all, instead of repairing it.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe, 11th March 2013
History of the bridge
The Bilta - Filiaşi foot bridge is an extremely important communications link between the villages of Bilta and Filiaşi. It has an importance out of all proportion to its cost, and when it is uncrossable, the life of the two towns, especially Bilta, is very adversely affected.
Filiaşi GPS readings.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 16th February 2008
This is the wooden foot bridge joining Filiaşi to Bilta across the Jiu, taken from Bilta on the right bank of the Jiu. The bridge is about 50 years old, is about 300m long and about 1 m wide, and is suspended from steel cables over the Jiu, swinging in the wind and washed by floodwaters in spring
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
The Jiu bridge from the Bilta side.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
Work has started on a new bridge over the Jiu River at Bilta. This photograph was taken from the old wooden bridge, looking upstream to the west, and shows the good progress made on a new bridge, which will be above flood level, and will not be damaged when there is a lot of water in the river. The new bridge passes over an island in the river about 150 metres upstream from the old wooden bridge.
At this time of the year, the trees are bare, and there is a mist rising from the river. Soon the land will be covered in snow, and there will be ice in the river.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 9th November 2007
This demonstrates a local tradition of the people of the area, to put a wooden cross in a place near a river (analogous to the Styx) with the name of the dead person, in order to keep their memory alive.
In Greek mythology, the Styx ("[river of] hate") is the name of a river which formed the boundary between earth and the underworld, Hades. It circles Hades nine times. Styx and Phlegethon, Acheron and Cocytus converge on the center of the Hades in a great marsh. The Styx is guarded by Phlegyas, who passes the souls from one side to another of the river. In other versions, Phlegyas guards Phlegethon, another of the main rivers of Hades, but Dante put Phlegyas over the Styx. The ferryman Charon is in modern times commonly believed to have transported the souls of the newly dead across this river into the underworld, though in actuality it was the river Acheron that Charon plied.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
The Jiu bridge
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
A view of the Jiu from the Jiu bridge, looking upstream.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
On the right bank of the river, about 1 km from Bilta.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
In winter, crossing the bridge can be an adventure, though a necessary one.
Passing over the bridge to Bilta, on a winter morning. We are going to my small medical unit at Bilta, to do our job. It is very, very cold!
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
One of the bridge supports has been bent and broken by the ice coming down the river. It is a very real danger to the people crossing the river by this bridge. The temperature on this day was -20° C.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
Two of Dr Gheoghe's nurses crossing the bridge. As can be seen, the side rods connecting the cable to the walkway have been twisted and buckled.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
Safe at the Bilta side of the river.
The bridge is about 300 m long, with a walkway one metre wide, and normally about three metres above the water. It is made of wood and steel cables, and is about 50 years old. When damaged like this, it is very dangerous to use.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
In such bad weather, only those who must do so venture out. Dr Gheorghe and his nurses have patients to see, who depend on their commitment and integrity.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
At last the village appears through the snow.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
Arriving at the small medical unit, built by Dr Gheorghe about 10 years ago and given by him at no charge to the people of the village of Bilta.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
A patient having his blood pressure checked by one of the nurses. At each visit, there are about 50 medical consultations in the medical unit, as well as about 5 - 10 house visits in the village (about 10 children under one year of age)
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
Under some circumstances an ambulance (which must come on a difficult road through Bralostita, about 22 km distance) must be called from Filasi to transport the patient to the hospital in Filiaşi.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
This reliable, hard working and efficient woman, Stanica Gheorghita, helps out at the Medical Unit. She cleans it, starts a fire to warm the Unit before the medical team arrives, and generally looks after the Unit. She receives about $20 USD/month for doing this job.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
An old house in Bilta. It is small, the ridge pole along the centre of the roof has sagged, and the exterior walls are in need of repair, but it is still able to be used despite its age.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
Going home from Bilta, after finishing the job there. It is the middle of the day and the doctor and nurses must hurry because they have appointments in the main medical unit of Filiaşi, on the same day, between 14.00 - 19.00 hours, and there is still the damaged bridge across the Jiu to negotiate.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
This man was herding sheep along the road on the Filiaşi side of the river with the aid of dogs and his donkey. He has a warm sheepskin cloak on to help ward off the chill of the weather.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe
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Alexis Project Filiasi/Romania
RC J/263/230/2007 CIF 21464151
Email: [email protected]