Thoughts on a Health Reform...

Well the Ungana Foundation has set up camp! Alex and Alyssa have been back and forth between Kigali (the capital city) and Gisenyi to establish official status within the country and I have been meeting with hospitals and doctors to set up programs within the area. Recently I’ve been privileged to tour military hospitals, public hospitals, and private clinics where I’ve seen overcrowded beds and ancient medical equipment. In my journeys I’ve realized the vast need for doctors, machinery, and simple medical supplies especially in the area of Goma, DRC. The few doctors that are in the area try and pull their resources together to make up for this and to accommodate the needs of their patients. I met with one Congolese doctor by the name of Jonathan who told me the great need, especially for physicians. In Goma there is no such thing as a specialty. Doctors here perform operations that are normally done by cardiovascular surgeons, ENTs, OBGYNs, and Neurosurgeons in the states. It’s amazing to see the skill set that these few doctors have acquired purely out of necessity.
Currently, I’ve been sending out emails and trying to reconnect with people who might be able to help us in our quest to relieve the pressures on the health care system here. I’ve tried reaching out to university alumni, friends, big and small businesses alike to see what they can contribute, however, now I can only wait to see what responses I get.
This summer the health care department will be putting on seminars for local health care workers and community leaders to fully establish the Ungana Foundation within the area. Other projects currently being set up are our medical student volunteer program and the medical equipment program. A med student from USC is currently working with me to establish the education seminars and the medical student volunteer program that will start next summer. I’ve also been working with a past co-worker on developing a program to move unused medical equipment from the U.S. to local hospitals and clinics. Things are on their way, but still much work has to be done. Hopefully, with the help of hospital admin, doctors, and people back in the states we can achieve some of these goals we have set out for. I guess only time will tell, so until next time………