Real Life has been serving a remote area of Ghana for 10 years. They have never had a pediatric team join them and I was asked to develop program to help the underserved children of the area. I created a non-profit 501c3, Global Seven, several years ago. I generally travel to underserved areas around the world 1-2 times per year. I spend my own money for travel and expenses and also lose out on income during my time away, but I find that it is necessary to continue. I am working to get several pediatric doctors and nurses to evaluate and treat the children in Vea, Ghana, and surrounding communities. There are an estimated 7,000 children in the area. The majority have never been seen by a health-care provider. Additionally, during all my missions, I help train local residents and medical providers to ensure optimal evidence-based care.
I am hopeful that we will be able to examine all +/- 7,000 children in a remote region of Ghana and provide treatment as needed. The second question, as to why this population, is more difficult. I firmly believe that every child in the world should have access to quality healthcare, but more specifically, Real Life, has a close tie with the community, allowing for seamless transition into medical care of the community. I am hopeful that we, as a team, can create a sustainable clinic in this region.
Aside from evaluation and treatment of acute and chronic issues that these children face, I plan on creating a plan for medical sustainability in the community. After many international medical trips, I have learned that community buy in and participation is needed. Thus, I plan on teaching locals basic healthcare and a network to provide ongoing care.
Thank you Dox Foundation! Dox Foundation's generous help allowed me to travel to remote regions of northern Ghana, and provide medical care to a very underserved population. Most of the people that our group served has never been seen by a physician. We were able to identify and treat a variety of medical conditions, including heart disease, malaria, typhoid, filariasis and countless other ailments. The days were long and hot, but we were able to see over 2000 patients, and every moment was rewarding and educational. Thanks again for making this possible.
