Friday, July 17, 2009

Health Team to Panama Seeks Dentist

An UMVIM Health Services Team that is returning to Panama for the fifth year, is looking for a Dentist to join the group. Someone who has previous experience working in temporary settings in developing countries would be a plus.


The team departs from Chicago on Friday, February 26, 2010 and will return on either March 6th or 7th. Approximate cost for travel, lodging and food is $1500. The dental clinic will set up in a concrete block community center that has electricity. Potable water is brought in. There is an autoclave in questionable working order. All dental equipment needed for restorations and extractions will need to be brought in by the team.

If you are interested, please contact Jane Dunn at www.umvim4health@ameritech.net . For more information, go to the left hand column of this blog under "UMVIM Blog List" and click on "Panama Journal".

Monday, July 13, 2009

Global Health Delivery Project: A New Resource

Hello Readers!

During my roaming of the internet, I discovered a resource, Global Health Delivery Project, that many health professionals may find helpful.  Many distinguished world organizations involved in global health are connected.  The site offers up-to-date papers on a wide range of global health topics.  There is also an on-line discussion forum.  Much of the focus is on TB and HIV. You may check out the link by going to http:www.ghdonline.org/ .  Also a training curriculum on the topic of Mother/Child Transmission of HIV produced by the CDC may be downloaded by clicking here.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

A Senegal Wellness Center Visit

March 21, 2009, excerpts from Senegal Mission Newsletter:

Last Friday the staff of the Wellness Center clinic went to a village, Pecc Maya, to pay a routine visit to their Nutrition Center. Even though we were leaving @ 9:30 AM I anticipated we might be back by 5 PM so I could join my husband, Paul, and a friend at Dakar Academy where they were serving American style hamburgers. Stop #1 was at the doctor’s house in Dakar to pick up the other staff ....... Traffic is always slow leaving Dakar. Stop #2 was in Diamnadio to meet the mayor and his assistants regarding moving the clinic to that growing area. ......Stop #3 at Pecc Maya came after many miles of sandy road, thatched huts, and herds of goats. 60 children and their mothers were sitting under a large Baobab tree, the national symbol of Senegal. It is now 2:45pm and I am starved. People in Senegal eat lunch around 2 or 2:30p. After many pictures, several speeches and introductions, and a trip to the outdoor toilet we slowly made our way from this church/nutrition center. Funds have been cut at this center so they have had to decrease this service from 2x/week to once/week. The pastor’s wife prepares the food at her house and transports it 7 miles to the village by horse and wagon! Stop #4 was at a (Muslim) friend’s house to pay respects .....since (a burial) this AM. Picture a grass-walled compound with 3 concrete houses around a courtyard of chickens and shrubs. ..... Stop #5 was at Pastor Etienne parsonage where we ate at the adjoining outdoor church. Lunch was .. ground beef with onions and french fries sandwiches (yes, fries ON the sandwich) packed by the Methodist Center kitchen staff this AM. #6 was in Mbour at Pastor John Pierre’s parsonage and church. He is the Wellness Center’s chaplain. I felt very welcome when his precious 4 mo old son came to me 15 minutes after taking one look (at my white face) and screaming. ... Stop #7 An hour later we pulled into the goat market. -Picture a large market area with Muslim men in long robes supervising young men in western clothes as they feed and sell goats. It was a Kodak moment. Our friend, Ben Cheich BA picked out a goat. They tied the goat’s legs and placed him in the back of our 12 passenger van. ..... #8 was to let Ben Cheich BA with his new goat out at his house. #9. Finally my apartment where Paul arrived 20 minutes later with the most delicious hamburger I have had in months, maybe even years!
The trip Monday to the Nutrition Center in Thies was only different in that we were in a large city not a small sandy village with huts. ... We made 6 stops before I got home at 8PM that night. Now I know what to expect with Wellness Center trips!
Love,
Kittie Messer

UMC Missionary to Senegal

Saturday, July 4, 2009

La Nueva Clinica Metodista Opens in Guatemala

On April 13, 2009, a new Methodist Health Clinic opened in the Guatemalan village of San Juan. The local sponsoring group, is Organization for the Developent of Indigenous Maya donations for ODIM are collected through Interfaith Action International, a non-profit 501(c) (3) charitable organization.

Projects sponsored by the group include outpatient clinic services, health education classes on diabetes management and training local volunteers to conduct oral histories and health needs inventories of villagers. A women's health program and an adult literacy program have also been initiated.

Medical volunteers and teams are welcome. To schedule a volunteer experience, contact ODIM at ODIMGuatemala@gmailcom . Click on link in left hand column of this blog to read more.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

NCJ Scheduled Medical Teams 2009/10


If you are interested in joining any of the NCJ Teams, contact the leader, listed below.

July

2009

ARMENIA

construction, teaching, medical

Dick Funt

richardfunt@sbcglobal.net

7/7/09

7/21/09

SIERRA LEONE, Manonkoh

medical / OC missions

Doris Acton / Minneapolis

doris.acton@nhylandsumc.org

8/6/09

8/9/09

MEXICO, Nuevo Progreso

Medical

Jackie Miller / Martha Brice

jmiller@cscc.edu

10/1/09

10/10/09

NICARAGUA

Medical

Teresa Miller / Conference

rbkids@yahoo.com

10/5/09

10/8/09

MEXICO, Nuevo Progreso

Medical

Jo Powers

jspowers@gte.net

10/12/09

10/23/09

NICARAGUA, Jalapa

medical

Jon Kerr / ISLA

info@isla.cc

11/5/09

11/8/09

MEXICO, Nuevo Progreso

Medical

Stefan Densmore

Stefan.densmore@gmail.com

11/5/09

11/17/09

SIERRA LEONE, Manonkoh

medical / OC missions

Doris Acton / Minneapolis

doris.acton@nhylandsumc.org

12/1/09

12/15/09

SIERRA LEONE, Manonkoh

medical / OC missions

Doris Acton / Minneapolis

doris.acton@nhylandsumc.org

1/14/10

1/17/10

MEXICO, Nuevo Progreso

Medical

Margie Vogt

mvogt@otterbein.edu

1/26/10

2/8/10

LIBERIA

construction/medical

Matthew McClung / E OH Conf team

tennisrev1174@aol.com

1/2/10

2/6/10

SIERRA LEONE , Kissy

Operation Classroom

Marilyn and Donald Griffith / Indianapolis

griffithmarilyn@aol.com

Feb

2010

NICARAGUA

Medical

Teresa Miller / Conference

rbkids@yahoo.com

Feb

2010

Panama

Medical/Community Based Health

Jane Dunn/NCJ

umvim4health@ameritech.net


Nancy Gillette has added these two additional trips to Nicaragua. Contact her for more details. NancyGillette@aol.com

9/11/09

2/10/10

Mozambique Re-Opened to Health Teams

(Forwarded from Audrey Phelps and Caryl Bryan)
Dear Friends,

Now hear good news! The Ministry of Health of Mozambique has agree to allow short term Medical VIM teams to re-enter the country. The conditions are:

1 - Medical credentials
2 - CV
3 - Criminal Records (good one) hahaha
4 - Proposal of activities to be carried (Education and training = highly recommended)

Note: Medical credentials will be submitted to Education Ministry for Verification. Then, with that Ministry's approval, those credentials will be submitted to the Order of Medical Profession for permit purposes.

Once the team or physician is in the country and has finished with the program, an activity report must be developed and confirmed by the Chief of Staff of the Hospital.

As you can see, the steps to follow are quite tedious. Thus, anyone coming should allow a considerable amount of time for paper processing. They are slow! Allow yourself six month for paper processing.

Please pass on this info to anyone who might be interested in joining a medical team to Mozambique .

With best regards,

Jeremias

Monday, June 29, 2009

Cambodia Consultation Announced


What: Cambodia Consultation
When: September 17 at 4 p.m. to September 19 in the evening
Who: Presenters- Delegates from the Methodist mission in Cambodia and missionaries of GBGM will provide first hand updates.
Who: Attendees- at least one representative from each involved church/conference
Where: St. Mattew's United Methodist Church, Metairie, Louisana
Fees: $80 per person (includes meals, materials but not lodging) an optional $25 gift may be made to support air tickets for Cambodian participants.
Register on-line: http://events.signup4.com/camcon2009