_______________________________________________________ ~ AfreakMED-Report 2017 ~ _______________________________________________________ On the 1st of September 2017 the much awaited memorandum of understanding was signed between AfreakMED-Foundation and the other parties made up of the Tolon Traditional Council, Ghana Health Service and the District Assembly. This brought to an end the three-year tussle that existed between the major partners. Work therefore started between the Tolon Health Services and AfreakMED-Foundation to have a working plan in order to start operating the clinic as soon as possible again. Some of the challenges that stood up was how soon we will be able to get staff to operate the clinic. Further discussions were held between the District Coordinating Director, the District Health Director and myself representing AfreakMED as to the way forward in terms of staffing. Fortunately for us the Regional Director of Health was also interested in seeing the clinic operate, therefore assured us of staff and a medical doctor who will visit the facility twice in a week. A general audit of all medical equipment was done by the medical engineers from the Tamale Teaching Hospital to see if the equipment’s were in good order. A comprehensive report is being prepared by the engineers. But for the interim we found out that some of the equipment were out of order. A copy of the report will be made available to you when. An inventory of all medical equipments and properties of AfreakMED Foundation was taking in order to make handing over to the new staff easy and also to hold them responsible if they misplace any tool or equipment. In October, another meeting was held again. This time around between myself and the district health director to find out about the staff issues and also how far she had gone with the accreditation of the health insurance. This was so because with the health insurance all payment had been made, the only thing left was the staff numbers and photo copies of certificates of the staff who had been post to AfreakMED clinic. These were to be attached to the health insurance application form to get the accreditation for the clinic. This, she informed me that she was waiting for the new staff to report so that she could collect the information from them in order to complete the forms. On the 15th of November all staff reported for duty. Aside the medical doctor who assured us he will be visiting the clinic twice in a week, we had one Ophthalmic nurse, a staff nurse, three general nurse and a midwife nurse. These are the staff the health directorate have provided so far to AfreakMED clinic. They are being paid by the health directorate and government. Aside that, AfreakMED has also engaged three cleaners to help with the daily cleaning of the clinic. AfreakMED has also maintained the two security men to keep security at the clinic both day and night. These workers are still on the payroll of AfreakMED. On that very day I introduced the staff and took them round to get familiar with the clinic. A meeting was later held between myself, the district director for health and the staff so see how best we could start operating the clinic. It was agreed that an intense outreach program should be outdoor in order to create awareness that AfreakMED clinic has started operations. We therefore started visiting the schools around the community to screen the kids and the teachers of their eye sight and those who had problem were referred to AfreakMED clinic for medical treatment. So far a total of five hundred and seventy kids have received free eye screening in their schools and those who have problems have been referred to the clinic were they are receiving further treatment. Fortunately, we are also in talk with an eye specialist to see if he can also visit the AfreakMED clinic periodically when we have surgical cases to operate on them. Aside concentrating on the eye care we also take care of general cases such as malaria and other general medical case. The major problem now is with medication. The last time money was sent by AfreakMED Austria (4,450 ghc) part of it was used to purchase drugs and cleaning detergent which was not enough. To inform you officially aside AfreakMED clinic dealing with general cases, we now have an eye clinic in addition with a highly qualified staff. But as stated above we need financial help to move on. All the equipment been used at the eye clinic is for a private person who has loaned it out to AfreakMED clinic for free until we are able to purchase our own. I will therefore appeal to you in case you have the opportunity of getting us some base equipment for the eye clinic. I am also in talk with Swiss Red Cross to see how best they can help the clinic. Talks have just begun but hopefully next year 2018 we hope for something good from them. In conclusion I will like to say we go through the Memorandum Of Understanding very well so that we all understand our roles and responsibilities. This I believe will prevent any more problems but rather help us grow this clinic to where we all want is to be. I will also like to apologies to all who in one way or the other almost lost hope in this project because of all that happened I am truly very sorry. Never will search a thing happen again. I will also like to thank all those who never lost hope even in times when there was no sign of light in the tunnel but still had hope in me and kept supporting Afreak med financially I say a big THANK YOU! For now, because we haven’t gotten accreditation from National Health Insurance we are temporal using the Tolon Health Insurance accreditation to cover our operation until AfreakMED gets a temporal accreditation to operate. This I will be in Tamale personally on the 12th of December 2017 to see that we are able to get accreditation. _________________________________________________ LOUIS KPANG KPARI / AfreakMED-Team Ghana |
