Health Care
Where We Started
The
rural villagers of Ethiopia suffer under a huge disease load, yet seldom have
the opportunity to see a medical
professional for treatment. When they
get an opportunity, many are sure it is the last time in their life they will
get the chance to be treated.
When we initially brought doctors to the villages, we had no facility in which to treat patients so we had to set up clinics under the village “gathering tree”. We would not tell the villagers we hoped to bring doctors until they arrived because we didn’t want them to be disappointed if the doctors didn’t show up. Once they arrived, news of their presence would be spread by word of mouth, and in the next few days we would have as many as 5,000 people waiting in the field, having walked from as far as 100 miles away. It was difficult to triage patients for the doctors to see, because our own archaic facilities and limited supplies made it difficult to treat anything but the most rudimentary problems. People suffering with terrible illnesses were desperate to see the doctors, but the doctors could do little to help them.
What We Have Done
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In late 2004 the government official over all the villages in the area met with us to let us know how impressed he was with the progress being made in Kersa as well as our dedication (at this time we had not yet received word on the well being installed). He told us about property in the village that had been given to another NGO and had never been improved. He offered these 5 acres of land to the Village of Hope to use for humanitarian purposes. The property had two structures, one that had been used as a school room years before, the other was a grain milling building that was full of old, worn-out mill equipment. Lois and Stuart Monroe, who were volunteers on one expedition saw the potential of the property and returned on the next expedition. They spent three weeks installing water pipes, toilet, a sink, electricity, ceiling fans, washer, refrigerator and lights. Others have donated a microscope, centrifuge and autoclave. Supplies are continually being donated by medical workers. The result is that we now provide a clean and better equipped medical unit than the local hospital. Under direction of our registered nurse, this clinic provides basic medical care and first aid for the four surrounding villages. The clinic is currently open two afternoons per week for the village of Kersa Illala and one afternoon each week for the other surrounding villages. A small fee is charged for this service. Those who cannot afford the cost are allowed to pay for this service by doing work for Village of Hope. Three times a year we lead an expedition of volunteers to the village for a week. During those times we have one or more physicians, nurses or other healthcare workers at the clinic. Villagers in need of attention are scheduled to meet with the doctor on a prioritized basis. Medication is provided at no cost. We find it extremely beneficial to retain the added services of a local physician and nurses to work with those who have come with the expedition. In 2007 we provided funding to the village to build a separate medical clinic that will be staffed by their own Ethiopian medical staff. In February 2008 we built a women’s education center. This center will be used for a variety of purposes, including regular education to the women in the HRCC and village on proper health care. |
Current
Projects and Future Plans
1. Increase Clinic Operations. It is apparent that additional hours of health professionals providing care and education are greatly needed. We are working to increase the hours of operation of the clinic with additional nursing hours.
2. Surgical Suite. Our goal is to properly equip and set up a small surgical suite that will allow our U.S. physicians to provide additional medical support during expeditions.
3.
Medications and Supplies. Our biggest costs of operating the clinic are medications and supplies. We are continuing to seek sources that can provide these at lower or no cost to the clinic.
How You Can Help: