Organize and lead a trip comprised of a group of health professionals to the Cabo Verde island of Fogo with the intention of providing health education on various topics and basic screenings of children and adults.
Residents of the Cabo Verde island of Fogo
Residents of the Cabo Verde island of Fogo will receive health education and screening that they otherwise do not readily have access to. Health professionals from the United States will collaborate and work closely with local health professionals, municipal and health officials in planning and carrying out the program.
The cultural experience will provide participants with valuable real world learning opportunities.
This trip will build our network of collaborators in Cabo Verde which currently includes educators at the University of Cabo Verde in Praia, Santiago, health professionals, municipal and health officials in Praia, Santiago and the island of Sao Vicente.
This trip will be my fifth global health trip to Cabo Verde. Lessons learned on these trips have helped me develop my leadership skills and have made me more culturally conscious provider.
Lessons learned on these trips are shared with my colleagues in the United States in various formats.
Our global health trip to Cabo Verde this year was different from our past trips. Unlike in past years where we work directly with patients in health care settings such as the hospital, health centers, psychiatric facility, senior center, schools and home for children this year we planned a series of health fairs in 3 different locations spread out on the island of Fogo and planned health promotion events at the local elementary and middle schools. As always, we partnered with and worked closely with the health officials on the island in development of the health fair.
As is our custom, we encourage our volunteers to book on the same flight when possible. We find that traveling together is a wonderful way for our volunteers to bond together. Unfortunately, this year, after sitting on the plane for a couple of hours in Boston, they had to deplane and were later put on different flights leaving the following day. They were no longer on the same flights and were arriving in Cabo Verde at separate times. The travel delay also meant that they would miss their connecting flight to the island of Fogo. After many phone calls and coordination all the volunteers made it to Fogo, some by plane others by ferry. The delay in arrival meant that we had to cancel one of our health fairs. It was a great disappointment to our volunteers and that community.
Ultimately, we were able to carry out our health fair in the other two communities. The health fairs were well attended and well received by the community. We were surprised by the number of adults who reported that they had never had their blood pressure checked; something that most adults in the United States have had repeatedly screened.
We were also able to visit the schools in those two communities for health promotion activities. The school children and their teachers were very welcoming and appreciative of the visit. We received some great questions and comments from the students.
In collaboration with our partners in government, health services, and the schools, we will continue to support the health care needs of the communities we visited in Fogo.
Each trip provides a unique experience; each with its successes and challenges. The challenges met on this trip were more than usual but offered valuable learning opportunities and bonded us together. Our retreat day, which allows our volunteers an opportunity to learn more about and enjoy the community we visit, was also unique this year. Our trip to the incredibly unique town of Cha at the base of the volcano is like no other. This year a handful of our ambitious, adventurous volunteers hiked up to the top of Fogo's volcano in Cha. Our volunteers also had the opportunity to enjoy the black sand beaches of Fogo.
Another successful global health trip in the books. Now we evaluate our trip and start planning for the next one!
