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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodists together |
February 2007 |
Hoosier medical team lends skills to healing in West Africa
By Daniel R. Gangler
Awed by the lack of medicine, skilled medical professionals and bare-bones technology, a volunteer team of 13 Hoosier United Methodists spent up to three weeks in Sierra Leone and Liberia this past month. The medical portion of team included two medical doctors, four nurses and a pharmacist.
They were led by the Rev. Dr. Donald Griffith and his wife Marilyn Griffith. As scheduled, five of the team members left after the first two weeks. Eight remained for a final week.
Team members included: Chet Adams (construction), Beth Borgerding (RN), Don Griffith (pastor, co-team leader), Marilyn Griffith (ACSW, co-team leader), Jan Nichols (director of World Missions at St. Luke's) and Scott Semester (fund raising/marketing) all of St. Luke's UMC in Indianapolis; plus Rick Chandler (pharmacist) of Carmel, Bonnie Strate and Randy Strate (mother and son, family practice physicians) of Meridian Street in Indianapolis, Mary Tinley (librarian) of Rosedale Hills in Indianapolis; Judy Trenary (orthopedic nurse) of Forest in Lafayette District; Michelle Tyring of Speedway; and Marchusa Huff (DRN) of Trinity Episcopal in Indianapolis.
According to a report the Griffiths gave to a Jan. 31 meeting of Operation Doctor (OD) meeting in Indianapolis at the Indiana Area office, the team visited the United Methodist Kissy Hospital in suburban Freetown, Sierra Leone; a United Methodist-related school, and a clinic in Jaiama, Sierra Leone (seven hours northeast of Freetown); the United Methodist Ganta Hospital in Liberia and the JFK Memorial Hospital in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia.
In Liberia
At Ganta Hospital, the Griffiths reported marked improvements since visits last year with additions to the hospital including a new inpatient unit. They said Ganta has a new administrator and dedicated staff. The Hoosier medical team provided half-day workshops at Ganta for nurses, aids, nursing students, physicians and other staff. The main complaint they heard from the student nurses was that it takes them up to five years to complete their two-year degrees because of a lack of teachers.
The team also found the need for the completion of installation for a new electrical generator at Ganta Hospital. Electrical power is sporadic at best, therefore the need for the diesel-powered electrical generator to be able to operate 24/7 is paramount to the successful operation of the hospital. Another significant need is funding to pay for the cost of fuel to operate the generators.
In Sierra Leone
At Kissy, the team found the surgical unit and post-surgical ward up and running, but also found needs such as updated surgical equipment to cauterize blood vessels during surgery. The team was pleased to find a new incinerator operating to dispose of all organic and inorganic waste.
The Griffiths reported that Dr. Dennis Marke, chief of staff at Kissy, told them a $32,000 annual budget for medicines may have been adequate before the surgical suite was built. But since the program and hospital census have increased, the need for medicines has doubled. More IV solutions and blood-pressure cuffs also are needed.
The Griffiths reported that Kissy Hospital is open to medical volunteers coming to help with medical education and to improve the delivery of services. A significant need Kissy currently has is for an ultra-sound technician for two or three weeks to teach the use of the machine. Major equipment needs include X-ray and blood chemistry lab equipment.
They further reported that the medical education service model for this trip was greatly appreciated. One thing the team learned was that when equipment is sent to Africa or anywhere in the developing world, donors also need to provide a means of training for the equipment's use.
At the Jaiama clinic and school, in the Koidu area of Sierra Leone, the medical team found five nurses providing medical care for a rural community through a clinic with little medical equipment or medicine. Their visit also raised the question of how OD should relate to the four or five Operation Classroom-related schools that have clinics on site.
Judy Trenary, a nurse on the trip who also reported to the OD board, said what the team saw at Jaiama was so sad. She said they experienced committed midwives with limited training working in facilities that are extremely limited. One thing she saw everywhere was the need for diabetic testing, which the team could not provide.
Team learned
The model for this team was one in which medical professionals would present continuing education workshops for the medical staff in each clinic setting. Some of the topics included were CPR, hospital admission practices, monitoring glucometers and antibiotic administration.
At some sessions the medical team had 60 participants, which was overwhelming. Staffs were inundated with requests for more topics, more sessions, follow up sessions on nursing units and equipment such as stethoscopes. The team decided that one of the best ways Indiana could help would be to send many more health professionals to Operation Doctor sites. Just taking the time to listen and dialogue brought hope and encouragement.
In other business during the two-hour OD board meeting, members approved a task force to be led primarily by volunteers of First UMC in Valparaiso to work with Kissy Hospital in developing and implementing plans for an improved health-care system.
The board also agreed to request that the Sierra Leone Annual Conference enter into a partnership with OD in developing and implementing a long-range plan for a health-care delivery system through the Kissy Hospital that includes: renovation and construction of facilities at the Urban Center, development of comprehensive use of facilities and the implementation of the Kissy Hospital program into a greater health-care program for the church in Sierra Leone.
The Operation Doctor board will meet again April 4 at the area office. In the meantime, the Rev. Joe and Carolyn Wagner, co-coordinators of Operation Classroom/Operation Doctor, will visit West Africa in February for their annual review of Operation Classroom programs and teach a Bible Study at the Sierra Leone Annual Conference.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008