Health
The Gambia - Spring 2006 Newsletter
Dear
Supporter,
Welcome
to our Spring 2006 newsletter. We've only just finished our first year
as a charity, and already we've done
really important work. In this issue, we'll show you some of what we've
done, as well as laying out our plans for the future. Of
course,
none of this is possible without your support - and so for that, thank
you.
A Year's Work:
We
don't have space here to details all of our work; instead we 've picked
a few different projects to illustrate the range of our work and why we
do what we do. If you want more detail, we have just published our annual report and accounts, and you can access them here.
Equipment: This
year we have supplied everything from an electric drill to suction
machines to parts for the autoclaves. It's an eclectic list precisely
because we don't have rigid rules about what is a 'suitable' project;
instead. any request is judged based on its potential impact on the
running of the hospital and, most importantly, patient care. Getting
what little equipment the hospital does have to work properly can make
a huge difference. One of our aims is
also to try and support those areas of the hospital that are showing
the greatest initiative in staff recruitment, motivation and retention,
by giving the staff the required tools to do their job well.
Staff: We've
just finished interviewing Gambians for the post of 'Development
Officer' at RVTH. Their job will be to work on fundraising from within
The Gambia which, given recent cuts in the hospital
budget (already 200 times smaller than a similar hospital in the UK) is
absolutely essential. Although this is a hospital job, we've agreed to
fund the post
in order to try and attract a higher calibre of applicants. It
should also help HTG to work even more closely with RVTH - both in
developing good projects and in monitoring their progress in practice.
Training: Our
training has stretched from the Operating Theatres to the Accounts
Department, and has involved a variety of different staff. We provided
some
short, basic training for all the accounts staff, as well as supporting
two of the them to do their ACCA part 1 exams, both of whom passed. On
the back of this success, we've agreed to support one of them to do his
part
2 training, conditional upon his staying at RVTH once he finishes.
We also provided training for two theatre nurses in how
to look after instruments used by urologists to make sure that previous and future donations won't be
wasted. The majority of this training was done locally, so that the
money stays in the local economy. We're also finding that training is helping to recruit, motivate and retain staff.
Fundraising:
As well as our own fundraising, which has brought in over
£15 000 this
year, we are also helping RVTH to raise its own money. Not only have we
agreed to pay for the Development Officer at RVTH, but we
administer the 'Friends of RVTH' scheme which provides additional money
to allow the hospital to reward its best nurses. Our administration of
the scheme allows them to accept credit card donations in the hospital,
as well as claiming gift aid from UK based donors.
Advocacy:
As well as our own work, we also try and encourage other people and
organisations to work with RVTH. As a result of our efforts and those
of RVTH, VSO have agreed
to continue their support of RVTH by supplying another four members of
staff for at least 2 years. Another UK-based charity has supplied
almost £1000 pounds worth of equipment and supplies, and
hospitals in the UK and US will be donating almost £5000
worth
of medical equipment. This isn't only good for RVTH, it also points to
our success in putting them in touch with other donors. Obviously this
has a massive positive effect anything we can contribute, which lets us
be even
more efficient.
“The
new autoclave parts will extend the life of this vital machine for 10
years. HTG's help has made sure that we can keep surgical instruments
sterile and continue to perform operations”
Dr Malick Njie
Dep. Chief Med. Director, RVTH, March 2006
“HTG's
funding of my ACCA training helps me every day in my job to deal with
new challenges and situations. Everything I learn, I can put to good
use at the hospital”
Abdoulie Jabang
RVTH Accounts Department Jan 2006
Future Plans:
Although
it's still early days, we're very pleased with what we've managed to do
so far. However, there is obviously so much more to do. In consultation
with RVTH, we have drawn up a list of projects that we would like to
try and fund. We are aiming to complete these, with your support and
donations, during Spring 2006.
Neonatal Service: The
death rate for newly born children admitted to the ward at RVTH
currently runs at a shocking 31% (compared to < 5% in the
UK). Thanks to a report from our Neonatal Medical
Advisory
panel, which includes advice from acknowledged national and
international experts in the area, we have a set of options that should
achieve a substantial reduction in this rate at a cost of about
£5000 per year. We have agreed to invest an initial
£3000 to get things off the ground, but we need your help. We
have the expertise, the advice and the
contacts , but what we need is money: money for staff, money for
equipment
and money for drugs.
Infection Control: As
we've said before, hospital-borne infection isn’t just a
problem in the developed world. Along with RVTH, we are looking at the
feasibility of funding alcohol gel dispensers, so that medical staff
can clean their hands between patients – even when there is
no water. This could make an enormous difference to the number of
people who die needlessly as a direct result of the difficulties of
delivering healthcare in a resource-poor tropical environment.
Approaching Malaria Season: Malaria
is still the biggest killer for Gambian children, and when the rainy
season returns in June, it will be at its most dangerous.. The heavy
rainfall,
together with the lack of good public health systems (right down to a
basic lack of clean running water and a basic or inadequate sewer
system) means that
mosquitoes can breed. With mosquitoes comes malaria resulting in RVTH
facing a threefold explosion in the number of patients over the period
from June to November.
HTG is committed to helping in whatever way it
can to help malaria patients and to help RVTH to manage its resources effectively. This
disease disproportionately affects the weak and vulnerable in society
– the very young and pregnant women are particularly
at risk, and yet the cost of saving many of these people can be very small - less than
£5 ($8).
Even
thought it faces seemingly insurmountable challenges, RVTH doesn't just
sit back and accept shortages of money and materials. It does all that
it can to make the best use of its own scant resources and raise more
funds. Some examples of this are:
Local Fundraising: RVTH
is very active, and very effective, at raising funds from local donors.
However, they often prefer to fund capital projects, like buildings,
which while important, still need staff to run them.
Maintenance:
RVTH has to spend a disproportionate amount on maintaining its ageing
assets and equipment. With help from VSO, RVTH has trained two medical
engineers so that outside help doesn't always have to be brought in.
Along with its new maintenance store, so that commonly needed spares
are stored on-site, RVTH can be more self-reliant.
Quality Management: The
senior nurses at RVTH have started work on a system to improve the
quality of the care that's delivered. Everything from time-keeping to
better stock-keeping to anti-corruption measures, all of which help its
resources go further, and do what it does better.
Friends of RVTH:
To help RVTH raise money, we administer a “Friends of
RVTH” scheme, which allows the hospital to accept donations
from tourists who visit The Gambia. Over £1000 has
been raised so far, and these funds will provide badly
needed support for the development and retention of RVTH nursing staff.
About Us
HTG was
started last year by a group of Gambian and British people, all of whom
had worked at RVTH for at least a year. We work closely with the staff
at RVTH, who form part of our Executive Committee, and are registered
as a charity in the UK (no 1107983). If you would like to know a little
more about our trustees, please click here.
Unlike some charities, we only work in a very small area. However, in
that area, we are very knowledgeable, experienced and efficient, and so
we can have the maximum possible effect. Given that RVTH is the largest
hospital in the country, and the training ground for the majority of
the nurses and doctors in the country, we have the possibility to
achieve long-term results.
Fundraising
Our
vital work is only possible through your generous donations. We are
desperately trying to recruit more donors, so, if you can, please
consider giving a regular gift. Even £5 or £10 a
month can make all the difference, so please feel free to send this
newsletter on to any friends of colleagues who might be interested. And
even a small, recurring, donation lets us do even more because we can
plan for the future.
If you
think you could organise a fundraising event, please get
in touch
with
us, and we will do everything we can to help. Some ideas peopl have
come up with include an auction of paintings and ceramics, and even
running a marathon, but everything from a coffee morning to a lunch to
a sponsored car wash can help.
Many
companies have schemes for supporting charities, and often match (or
even multiply) giving by their employees. In addition, charitable
donations from the company itself are tax-deductible, and can be
subtracted from pre-tax profits. If you would like more
information about applying to your company on our behalf, please get in
touch here.
And
remember, every penny counts, so if you can, please tick the "Gift Aid"
option for any donation you give, and we get an extra 28% at no cost to
you.
If you
would like to donate, please click here
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have been sent this email due to your interest in Health The Gambia. If
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In This
Issue:
Our Aim: To
improve healthcare in The Gambia, specifically at Royal Victoria
Teaching Hospital (RVTH)
Our work is primarily
based at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in the capital, Banjul.
This is the only sizable hospital in the country, and is the focus for
training both nurses and doctors at a national level. It also provides
healthcare for the local population and referral services for the
entire country. Most of
our staff either currently work or have worked in The Gambia, so we
know what the problems are. We are working in cooperation to help solve
them, but to do that we need your help.
If you
have any questions about this newsletter, HTG more generally, or if
you've recently visited The Gambia and would like to share your stories
with us, please get in touch .
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