Training Healthcare Professionals at Yekatit 12 Hospital (Y12H) and Gandhi Memorial Hospital (GMH), Addis Ababa.

 

Since 2006 IFA, in conjunction with the Addis Ababa Health Bureau and the Ministry of Health, has undertaken to upgrade the city’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) services to provide much-needed life-saving care. Over the past 6 years, IFA has provided equipment to Y12H and GMH to treat many newborn complications. In July 2012 representatives from IFA and Y12H met with Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO) to coordinate a training program for the nursing staff of Y12H. The hospital had recognized the need to provide its nurses with the knowledge and experience to utilize medical equipment donated by IFA. In response, VSO provided 3 volunteers to train the 27-person nursing staff on the NICU in a one-week program that focused on the management, care, and regular checks of the donated medical equipment. Training was also provided for the staff at GMH.

 

Training Technicians at Zemero Heath Center, North Shoa Zone

 

On 24 May 2011, installation of new laboratory equipment was completed at the Zemero Health Center, North Shoa Zone, Ethiopia. Two laboratory technicians were trained by a representative of the Afro-German Company in Addis Ababa, a PLC that imports laboratory and quality control equipment and supplies to Ethiopia. Prior to this, the clinic lacked virtually any modern lab equipment. The new equipment consisted of a fully automated chemistry machine with a capacity of 200 tests per hour, a hematology machine, a three-part differential urine analyzer, a water bath for serology testing, a laboratory incubator, water purifier, shaker and a compound microscope. IFA would like to acknowledge their generous donors and in particular Drew Kahn, former CEO of Houston North West Medical Center, Texas,and Jason Baker, CEO of Saint Mary’s Medical Center in Apple Valley, California, for their large donation of Laboratory Equipment and other critical medical supplies.

 

Supporting Professional Development

 

Following on from the success of its two medical missions, IFA wants to establish a more sustainable program. During the medical missions many Ethiopian doctors had been able to professionally develop their skills, particularly with eye surgery, learning from their American counterparts and vice versa. These additional skills now need to be utilized at general/referral hospitals in Ethiopia and support is needed to develop secondary eye units within many of the hospitals so this valuable work of restoring sight and preventing blindness can be carried out.

 

Supporting Medical Research

 

Over the past 5 years IFA has hosted its awards ceremony during the Ethiopian Medical Association Conference in Addis Ababa. Two awards are given to Ethiopian researchers whose work has significantly advanced the study of disease and other afflictions in Africa. In addition to being honored at the event, each researcher receives a financial award of $1000.