Medical missions have grown in relevance in Nigeria over the past 20
years. This is largely as a consequence of the failure of the health
system to serve the poor. In the conventional sense, medical missions
usually involve a group of physicians and other health workers
travelling to a foreign country for the purpose of undertaking a special
series of short term health interventions to improve the health and
health care of a specific population.
These are normally of short term duration and arranged around a health care facility. Although debate continues about the value of medical missions as a sustainable health improvement strategy, Pro Health International (PHI) offers a slightly different approach to medical missions. It seeks long term strategic partnerships and funding, intense preparation and significant post mission care. To find out more on about the benefits of these health missions to host communities, volunteers and society we decided to join Pro Health on their recent mission to Ehor, a town close to Benin City in Edo State. Here, Anja Choon gives a short summary of the mission and her experience as a PHI volunteer.
These are normally of short term duration and arranged around a health care facility. Although debate continues about the value of medical missions as a sustainable health improvement strategy, Pro Health International (PHI) offers a slightly different approach to medical missions. It seeks long term strategic partnerships and funding, intense preparation and significant post mission care. To find out more on about the benefits of these health missions to host communities, volunteers and society we decided to join Pro Health on their recent mission to Ehor, a town close to Benin City in Edo State. Here, Anja Choon gives a short summary of the mission and her experience as a PHI volunteer.
Pro Health International was founded by Dr. Iko Ibanga as a
Christian, non-profit voluntary health care organization 23 years ago.
Through mobilising volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other
health care workers as well as support staff, the organization provides
free health care during short medical missions. Services offered during
missions include medical consultations, dental services, eye
consultations, health promotion to increase awareness of important
diseases and their risk factors, minor surgeries and pharmacy services,
all free of charge to the clients. PHI’s focus is on helping the poor
and underprivileged in rural settings.
Originally starting with 3-4 medical missions a year, they now run 25-30 missions in a year in Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Zambia, The Gambia, Mali, Niger, Burundi and Malawi. Over the years, they’ve carried out about 200 missions and reached many thousands of people.
Originally starting with 3-4 medical missions a year, they now run 25-30 missions in a year in Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Zambia, The Gambia, Mali, Niger, Burundi and Malawi. Over the years, they’ve carried out about 200 missions and reached many thousands of people.
The TY Danjuma Foundation
provides funding for an average of three PHI missions every year,
including a mission to Ehor from 6 to 12 July 2014, which I joint on
behalf of Nigeria Health Watch. As I later found out, it was not the
first visit of PHI to this particular town.
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