Upper West Regional Health Performance Review

Many of the meeting's participants arrived at the "conference center" each day by motorbike

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Upper West Region Health Performance Review in Wa. This is an annual meeting of the doctors, healthcare administrators, healthcare training school officials and healthcare delivery partners, such as UNICEF and MedPLUS Connect. This meeting provides a forum for discussion on the region's overarching concerns and developments. Each hospital and healthcare training school in the region made a presentation about its recent and ongoing projects as well as its challenges, and we also heard presentations from regional administrators, such as Dr. Chris Fofie, the Regional President of the Ghana Medical Association. Some of the topics discussed were the high rate of labor and delivery taking place outside of healthcare facilities and in the absence of trained healthcare professionals, the region's very low ratio of 1 doctor per 25,000 people (the region has 28 doctors, half of whom are Cubans on 2-year contract with the Ghanaian government), and the high rate of hospital usage as a result of insufficient prevention and poor contintuity of care (last year, the region's hospitals recorded close to 800,000 outpatient visits, while the region's population is only 700,000).

It was overwhelming to listen to the presentations and discussions that took place over the course of this 3-day meeting, both because of the magnitude of the problems and because organizations such as MedPLUS Connect are working on the ground to provide such valuable assistance.

The records that were presented, assuming they were reliable, were surprisingly good. When a presenter talked about an outbreak of an infectious disease, such as yellow fever, he/she knew the index case (the first case of an outbreak), how many people were infected, and how and where the outbreak spread. One presenter discussed the increasing number of hypertension and diabetes cases in the region as a result of longer life expectancies, and another presenter discussed the prevalence of mental health, a topic that has only recently gained attention in Africa.

Attending this meeting also gave me the opportunity to meet with some of our current partners, such as doctors who have received shipments from us, and to form new relationships with doctors or district administrators who may receive future shipments from us. By and large, the people attending this meeting were motivated, capable and hopeful, and they were so happy and thankful that MedPLUS Connect continues to provide them and their colleagues with much needed support.

Construction Started on Pediatric Nutrition Rehabilitation Center!

We are so, so excited to share the amazing news with all of you! We have broken ground on the Nutrition Center in Lawra, Ghana, and the construction is progressing beautifully. We would like to thank all of our supporters for helping to make this a reality. Check out the photos!!!

Apply To Be Our Next Executive Director!!

Are you interested in leading MedPLUS?Position Summary:MedPLUS Connect was founded in 2008 by three University of North Carolina students. As a new and rapidly developing organization, we are looking for an ambitious, passionate and self-motivated individual to lead our team as the 2012-2013 Executive Director. This position will be supported by a group of volunteers and interns, an In-Country Director based in Ghana, and a highly dedicated Board of Directors. The Executive Director will be responsible for leading all aspects of MedPLUS Connect, from meeting with our partners in Ghana, to grant writing, coordination of medical supply shipments, and daily administrative tasks. The incoming Executive Director will participate in an in-depth orientation in the summer of 2012 to be introduced to and become comfortable with our partners in Ghana and the operations of MedPLUS Connect. Although our modest budget limits the amount of financial compensation provided, the experience, opportunity for leadership, and ability to directly impact thousands of lives are the true rewards of this position. This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals looking to start a career in public health or gain global health experience before medical or graduate school.

To Apply: Please email a resume and a cover letter that explains your interest and qualifications for the position and includes contact information for two references to careers@medplusconnect.orgas soon as possible. In the body of the email, please indicate where you learned about this job opportunity. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis and the final deadline for email submissions is March 2, 2012. We will confirm your submission.

For more information including compensation, please download our full Job Description. Click here: 2012-2013 ED Job Description

Help us bring these supplies to rural Ghana!

Go Out for Ghana!

Join MedPLUS Connect on February 29 at the the Euclid Tavern in Cleveland, Ohio!

From 8:30 PM to 1:30 AM, 25% of all food and drink purchases will benefit MedPLUS Connect and help us build the Nutrition Rehabilitation Center for malnourished children in Lawra, Ghana.

Go Out for Ghana!

Location: Euclid Tavern (11625 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106)

Date: February 29, 2012

Time: 8:30 PM - 1:30 AM

Hope to see you all there!

- Sonya

2012-2013 MedPLUS Executive Director Search

Join our team and help ship life-saving medical supplies!

Are you interested in leading MedPLUS Connect and becoming our next Executive Director? We are sad to see Sonya head off to medical school, but also excited for her to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor! We will be starting our director search this week, so check back soon for more information and learn how to apply! -The MedPLUS Connect Board of Directors

Learn About Lawra!

Hi everyone! As you know, we are building a Nutrition Rehabilitation Center in Lawra, Upper West Region, Ghana. This particular district has a special place in our hearts here at MedPLUS Connect - Emma, Lauren and the rest of the Project Heal team established a "Peace Library" in 2008 at the Lawra District Hospital, a children's library and medical resource center in the pediatric ward.

We know how enthusiastic and involved our supporters are and like to be, and so I want to share this website with you all. If you want to learn more about Lawra - the future home of a Nutrition Rehabilitation Center for children - check out the link below!

http://lawra.ghanadistricts.gov.gh/?arrow=atd&_=110&sa=1343

But we also know how busy everyone can be, so for those of you on a time limit (perhaps a five minute study break?! Quick unwinding after work?!) here are some quick facts:

1. The census puts the District's population at 87,525, with a population density as high as 93 persons per square kilometer. WHOA! 2. A situational analysis on women and children in the Lawra District reveals that they are highly disadvantaged economically, socio-culturally and politically. 3. Dr. Abdulai Abukari, former Medical Director of the Lawra District Hospital, cites malnutrition as the fundamental trigger of preventable childhood disease and death in Lawra and asserts the critical need for the development of a nutrition rehabilitation program. 4. Lawra hospital is the district hospital with a bed capacity of 62 comprising 13 beds in maternity ward and 49 beds in general ward and serves a population of 43,614 excluding people from Burkina Faso. 5. In the rural areas a considerable number of children of school going age, especially the girl child, are not in school but found rearing cattle, farming, and providing child labour.

As always, we love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to comment! Sonya

(Source: http://lawra.ghanadistricts.gov.gh/?arrow=atd&_=110&sa=5720)

Calling All Creative Minds!

Hi everyone! I hope that each of you has had a wonderful start to 2012 so far! As our wonderful director Sonya has mentioned before, those of us at MedPLUS have been busy bees working on all sorts of new and exciting projects. I do not consider myself to be a super artsy, nor a super “business minded” individual. I usually come up with some wacky off the wall ideas that I am sure make Sonya and all the board members laugh. Recently, however, it has become important to me to develop the MedPLUS “image” a little further. This is where ya’ll (accent disclaimer-I am from the south) come in!

I want all of you to get your creative juices flowing and send me your ideas! What images on our website and/or facebook page are most moving to you? (Be sure to “like” us on facebook if you haven’t done so already!) What colors do you like? Do you like our black and blue theme? What would you most like to see? Comment on this post and let me know all of your wonderful ideas!!!

Check out our website at www.medplusconnect.org

I cant wait to hear from everyone!

MedPLUS love,

Kate

* Kate Cloud is a MedPLUS Connect intern currently juggling multiple projects, including fundraising and grant research! We are so happy to have her on board. Thank you, Kate!

Teamwork

I grew up with a sports-obsessed family in a sports-obsessed town playing - you guessed it - sports. So it should come as no surprise that I've always been a firm believer in the importance of teamwork. And though I certainly know my way around a soccer field, lacrosse arc, basketball court, and foosball table (come on, you know it should be a sport), the success of teamwork has never been more clear to me than when working with the MedPLUS Connect team.

While I was traveling without internet over the past few days, our Board members, In Country Director, and interns have been busy making things happen! From finalizing contracts to planning site visits and researching grants, no task has been left unnoticed or unaddressed in my absence. How lucky am I to have such amazing support?!

Now for the "fun" part - playing catch up! Go team!

- Sonya

Winter Newsletter

Did you get a chance to read MedPLUS Connect's winter newsletter? Check it out here. Here is one story from the newsletter that is particularly touching: Spotlight: Meet MedPLUS Connect's Youngest Supporters!

Here at MedPLUS Connect, we feel very blessed and fortunate for the amazing support we receive on a daily basis. From everyday collaboration with our partners in Ghana and donations from supporters, to our family, friends, and diligent blog followers, there is certainly no shortage of generosity. In the past nine months alone, we have received over $8,500 in donations and countless numbers of volunteer offers.

Meet sisters Gabrielle (age eight) and Rachel (age ten). They first became interested in MedPLUS Connect when their cousin, Executive Director Sonya Narla, traveled to Ghana this past summer. After following Sonya and Emma’s adventures through the MedPLUS blog stories and photos, the sisters drew their own pictures depicting their interpretations of MedPLUS Connect’s mission – complete with mosquitos! They even wore "Ghana Flag Socks" to support the cause. Gabrielle and Rachel enjoyed learning about another part of the world, and grew concerned learning that some children in Ghana could not even receive nutritious food and vitamins to remain healthy. So when Gabrielle found a $20 bill at a county fair and couldn’t track down the owner, she wanted to donate the money to “somewhere it should belong.” She chose the to put it toward the construction of the Lawra Nutrition Center.

Gabrielle and Rachel's Ghana Flag Socks

Though we receive amazing support everyday, the incredible generosity of others is something that will always continue to amaze the MedPLUS Connect team. To Gabrielle, Rachel, and the rest of our wonderful supporters: thank you.

Click here to read more of the newsletter! Thank you for your support!!

Tumu Shipment Reaches Port in Ghana!

We are excited to report that a 40-foot container of medical equipment and supplies has crossed the Atlantic Ocean and arrived at the Tema port in Ghana. In a few days, this shipment will be cleared by Ghanaian customs and will journey to the north of Ghana to reach Tumu. Dr. Zakari, a doctor in Tumu, recently told MedPLUS "We are very grateful to you and hoping to continue this wonderful collaboration."

Guest Blog: Sarah Writes About Fundraiser at Max's Taphouse

Growing up with Emma and Lauren, two of the MedPLUS Connect founders, I have had the opportunity to watch MedPLUS Connect grow and evolve since its creation. Soon after the development of the organization, I started hearing Emma and Lauren fantasize about one day raising enough money to build a nutrition center in Ghana.

After several years of meetings with ministry officials, grant writing, and fundraising, I am so proud of Emma, Lauren, and the rest of the MedPLUS Connect team for putting together a comprehensive plan for the construction of the nutrition center in Lawra, Ghana. In order to help raise money to build the nutrition center, Max's Taphouse in Baltimore collected donations on behalf of MedPLUS Connect on December 3rd. The night was a big success with dozens of my friends showing up to support MedPLUS Connect. Max's is a popular beer bar in historic Fells Point and is always packed full of a wide range of people. The manager of Max's Taphouse kindly agreed to feature MedPLUS Connect on December 3rd and Chuck, the best bouncer in Baltimore, did a great job of explaining the organization and collecting donations as eager customers enter the bar.

Along with Becca Heide, another Shaker Heights grad, I spent the night chatting with friends and coworkers about the mission and goals of MedPLUS Connect. Thanks to the generosity of many people, we were able to raise $950 for MedPLUS Connect!!

Thanks to everyone who joined for the evening. Keep up the great work MedPLUS Connect!!

- Sarah Bell

* Sarah did a fantastic job organizing this fundraising event, and we could not be more proud or thankful for her efforts and the support of those who attended! On behalf of MedPLUS Connect and Lawra District Hospital, thank you so much, Sarah!

Site Visits in the Upper East Region

Josh at War Memorial Hospital in Navrango

Our In-Country Director, Josh, has been busy doing site visits in northern Ghana! Just last week he visited the War Memorial Hospital in Navrango - a site Emma and I also had the privilege of visiting this past summer. Our two containers that recently arrived in the Upper East are full of medical supplies and equipment which will be distributed to hospitals across the region, like War Memorial Hospital. Due to recent expansion, War Memorial Hospital in Navrango seems like a perfect fit for some of the hospital beds!

Containers Arrive in the Upper East Region

Wow! Check out all of these unloaded supplies and boxes of consumables in the middle of transport.

Check out all the incubators!

We can't wait to see how the hospitals and health centers in the Upper East Region benefit from these infant incubators. Hopefully these supplies and equipment will allow health centers to further develop their child health and pediatric wards. Thank you again for the amazing photos, Josh!

Sonya

Guest Blog: Anna Writes About CWRU Fundraiser!

Lambda Eta Mu Basket Raffle at CWRU

As soon as Sonya told me about MedPLUS Connect, I knew I wanted to get involved somehow. I have volunteered at MedWish before, and I knew what that any organization that works with MedWish must be equally as amazing. As such, I was very excited to accept a position as an intern this semester to work for such a great cause!

One of the first tasks that Sonya gave Meera Patel, another intern at Case Western, and me was to organize a fundraiser to help raise money for the Lawra Nutrition Center project. Once given this task, I knew that asking Lambda Eta Mu to help with the cause would be the perfect way to gain more support from the campus at large. Lambda Eta Mu is a Greek Honor Society that was founded at Case Western Reserve University two summers ago, and has already made an impact on campus, having hosted two basket raffles, various service projects and a voting awareness event.

After several weeks of planning and collecting baskets from campus organizations, Lambda Eta Mu hosted its basket raffle benefitting MedPLUS Connect the week of November 11th – November 19th. Donated baskets ranged from a “Baked Goods” basket, to a “Chick Flick” basket with DVDs, popcorn in candy, to a “Bro Basket” complete with many All Spice products, a football and a mouth guard. Ticket sales kicked off at Trivia Night, a Greek Life event, and continued throughout the week in one of the main academic buildings on campus. We also sold tickets at Spot Night, a weekly concert sponsored by the University Program Board.

The final ticket sales push occurred on Saturday Night outside the Jolly Scholar, a restaurant-bar located in Case Western’s Student Center. The Jolly Scholar is a very philanthropic organization and frequently hosts philanthropy nights in which it donates a certain percentage of all orders placed to a good cause. During the time of our final ticket sales, the Jolly Scholar agreed to donate 50 cents from every plate to MedPLUS Connect! We are still waiting for the final tally of how much the Jolly Scholar will be donating, but from the basket raffle, we raised over $320!

Special thanks and shout outs to the organizations that submitted baskets at the basket raffle—the Delta Omega Chapter of Phi Mu Fraternity, the Theta Beta Chapter of Delta Gamma Fraternity, Sigma Psi Sorority, the Ohio Sigma Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, the Ohio Epsilon Chapter of Phi Kappa Psi and the Case Western Panhellenic Council. And a huge “thank you” to the University Program Board for allowing us to co-sponsor an event at Spot Night, and to the Jolly Scholar for donating proceeds to MedPLUS Connect!

- Anna Handorf

* Anna is a MedPLUS Connect intern in her senior year at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) studying psychology and biology on the pre-medical track. She is involved in many different organizations on campus, including serving as President of her sorority and co-founder of the Society for Nepali Development. Thank you so much for your hard work, Anna!

CNN Heroes: Surplus Medical Supplies Sent Abroad

Matt discussing plans with Abu Samson, then hospital administrator in Lawra

Matt Waters, a UNC graduate and alumni of Project HEAL, MedPLUS' sister organization, shared this article with us: http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/01/health/cnnheroes-medical-supplies/index.html?hpt=hp_bn10.

The article explains "There are thousands of tons of medical supplies thrown away every day that are unused or clearly reusable," said Dr. Bruce Charash, a cardiologist in New York.

Richard St. Denis, a CNN Hero, collects discarded wheelchairs through his nonprofit, World Access Project. With help from another U.S.-based nonprofit, Hope Haven, the wheelchairs are refurbished by senior citizen volunteers and prison inmates in Iowa before being shipped to rural Mexico.

We are so impressed with all of the work that Richard St. Denis and other recovery organizations are doing! Hopefully, increased publicity will encourage more hospitals and manufacturers to donate supplies and equipment.

Thanksgiving

How could I forget? I am also thankful for beautiful Ghanaian sunsets!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought it would be nice to, well, give thanks. I was just reviewing some packing lists from old shipments, and it definitely put me in that sentimental, warm-and-fuzzy, Thanksgiving mood. Although, if I'm being perfectly honest, my mother's homemade rolls in the oven may have something to do with it as well. We at MedPLUS really do have a lot to be thankful for, and I consider myself especially lucky to be working with such wonderful partners and teammates. I know I speak on behalf of the entire MedPLUS Connect team when I say how fortunate we are that these partnerships extend across the globe.

We are thankful for

- The hard-working doctors, administrators, and medical staff of our partner hospitals in Ghana. We admire and respect your dedication to helping others and improving healthcare, even though it often means spending time away from your families and taking on responsibilities to entire districts of patients. If I had to pick one word to sum up this bunch, I would hands down choose "inspirational."

- Our partners in the Ghana Ministry of Health, who work tirelessly to help us weave our way through the administrative webs in Ghana. Working hand-in-hand to help bring medical supplies to your country has been and remains an honor. We cannot thank you enough for your support and guidance.

- The crazy team at MedWish International. I say crazy because how else can you describe a group of people who can successfully fit 40 (YES, FORTY) hospital beds into a single 40-ft shipping container? Their other talents include finding "elusive" equipment like x-ray machines and anesthesia machines, and making the process of sending shipments about 509238 times easier for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

- Our faithful and generous supporters - from friends, family, and related organizations, to Universities, volunteers, interns, and complete strangers. You make everything possible. Every contribution, every ounce of support, makes a world of difference. Case in point: we received a total of $2500 for Emily's Matching Donation, which goes towards the Lawra Nutrition Center! Another example: while in Ghana, it gets hard seeing the need for healthcare and struggles of physicians and patient alike. But your encouraging comments and support on our blog helped remind me that many others were on this journey with us. Always, thank you.

While I could go on and on (anyone who knows me can verify this), I hope the message is clear! From the MedPLUS team to you - Thank you!

Sonya

Everyone Has Something to Give!

The importance of inter-disciplinary perspectives has been invaluable to MedPLUS Connect.  Emily, Emma, and Lauren co-founded MedPLUS Connect together while in college. Now each is embarking upon a different path in graduate school; Emily is earning her PhD in Economics, Emma is in Medical School, and Lauren is soon to be a Lawyer with a Masters in Public Health. Each perspective has been important in its unique way! For instance, Emily takes the lead on budgets and taxes, Lauren can evaluate contracts and liabilities, and Emma does an excellent job of analyzing potential donations of medical supplies.  Beyond their contributions, MedPLUS is also grateful to draw upon the experience of the rest of its amazing Board, Executive Director, and In-Country Director. Our organization has succeeded largely in part because we are a team and open to different perspectives. We are exceedingly grateful for all contributions, large and small, across all disciplines!

And We're Off!

Container Destination: Tumu (circled)

And we’re off! Around 10 AM this morning, our fantastic partners at the MedWish International warehouse packed the first of five MedPLUS Connect containers set to go out during the 2011-2012 year! It’s amazing to me how simple that last sentence sounds – “packed” and “container” are words that could be describing something as basic as packing PB&J into a lunchbox. Let’s run with that concept. Except instead of a lunchbox, imagine a 40 ft. container. Instead of a PB&J sandwich, imagine 12,400 lbs of medical supplies and equipment packed in like sardines. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? If you are, you’re probably thinking “WOW – how is that even possible?” (Or, alternatively, you may be thinking about the terrible quality of my lunchbox analogy, in which case I can’t really blame you).

But in all seriousness, reading the packing list never ceases to amaze me, and for many reasons. It’s incredible to see how much “stuff” can really be packed into one container, and even more impressive to see how many valuable pieces of healthcare equipment can be reused and repurposed to help others. We are so excited to send this container to Tumu District Hospital! Tumu District Hospital is in the Upper West Region of Ghana and serves a rural district with a population of over 150,000. Because of its northern location and proximity to the neighboring country Burkina Faso, Tumu District Hospital sees a diverse patient population, including refugees from across the borders. Hopefully these medical supplies will help the hospital better treat the needs of the growing patient population.

Dr. Zakari Bukari, medical director at Tumu District Hospital, compiled the request list based off the hospital’s priority needs and is “excited about the great support and looking forward to receiving the items.” The container holds almost 10 pallets of mixed medical supplies, an anesthesia machine, infant incubators, oxygen concentrators, an OR table, gurneys, pulse oximeters, handheld dopplers, 12 hospitals beds & mattresses, and more. MedWish did an amazing job of helping us locate these high-need, life-saving items. Let’s just say that if this were a lunchbox, it would include all the best: snackpack pudding, go-gurt, the good kinds of fruit, and maybe an extra Reese’s…or two...

And you thought you were done hearing about the lunchbox. Please forgive me

– I couldn’t resist!

Sonya

MedPLUS Connect Fundraiser in Baltimore!

On Saturday, December 3rd, Max's Taphouse in Baltimore, Maryland is collecting donations for MedPLUS Connect and money collected will go towards building and furnishing a nutrition center in Lawra, Ghana. Please join in the efforts and feel free to bring friends!!

Max's Taphouse is located at 737 South Broadway in Baltimore, MD. The fundraiser begins at 8pm!

Thanks very much to Sarah Bell for organizing this event!

Container Packed for Tumu Today!

This morning, a 40 foot container was packed full of donated medical supplies and equipment at the MedWish International warehouse. This container will travel from Cleveland, Ohio all the way to Tumu, Ghana, West Africa!

Medical Supplies Arriving in Ghana in 2009

The shipment includes 12 hospital beds, an anesthesia machine, 2 incubators, an autoclave, many syringes & needles, and an operating room table!

Thank you to the wonderful team at MedWish for all of their help with this shipment!

Intern Support & Fundraiser at Case Western Reserve University!

Anna Handorf and Meera Patel, MedPLUS volunteers from Case Western Reserve University, have been absolutely wonderful additions to our team. We've been extremely busy lately - working on the Nutrition Center plans while simultaneously getting ready to send out our first shipment of the Fall/Winter (yay!). In the meantime, our interns have been doing everything from researching x-ray machine models to looking into fundraising initiatives... And they have been nothing short of successful.

We are happy to announce that Lambda Eta Mu of Case Western Reserve University is having a basket raffle to benefit MedPLUS Connect! Lambda Eta Mu is the Greek Service Honor Society, and has support across the University. Lambda Eta Mu will be selling raffle tickets on the Case Western campus in Cleveland, OH from November 14th to November 18th in the Nord building. We will be updating our Facebook page with more details, if anyone is in the area and interested! With all of this amazing campus support, we hope to come even closer to our fundraising goals for the Lawra Nutrition Center project.