KRB Update - Training

KRB Update #2178 – Training


Keith R. Brinkman
June 14, 2012

Greetings from Lomé, Togo, for one last time. One of the things I hear often when doing assessment or talking with governmental officials is that they wish to have more training for their health care professionals. One difficulty here in West Africa is that if nationals go abroad to study many times they never return home to serve. So if Mercy Ships is able to provide hands-on training and mentoring on board, the health care professionals do not leave their home country.

One success has been with our eye project. In 2010 when we were here in Togo, our ophthalmic surgeon Dr. Glenn Strauss accepted Dr. Abram Wodome for a three month fellowship in eye surgery. This year, it was Dr. Abram who trained three Togolese eye surgeons. He also received some additional training related to pediatric cases with Dr. Glenn in May.

In our operating rooms/theatres, our surgical staff are involved with providing training and mentoring for surgeons and nurses. Here in Togo, they have worked with three maxillofacial surgeons, surgical nurse, and one surgeon in learning more about VVF surgery.

One of our international board members, Dr. Keith Thomson, has a passion to conduct workshops/conferences in anaesthesia for the professionals of our host nations. For the last several years, I have had the responsibility to assist in facilitating the conferences on behalf of Mercy Ships. Here at the largest government and university hospital, CHU, we had 139 anaesthesists, nurse technicians, and midwives with a focus on obstetrics anaesthesia and maternal health. The Ministry of Health brought in their people from all over the nation. They also trained on the WHO Safe Surgery Checklist. Pray that what they have learned will be applied to save lives of women and children in particular.

Other training occurred with our three Leadership Conferences – with community, church and government leaders, Agriculture – training of trainers, local Day Workers, Basic Oral Health to patients at the dental clinic and in schools, Community Health Education, and Mental Health.

Prayer Requests: 1) For each of the participants who received training and mentoring, to apply what they learned and share with others 2) Health for all of our patients 3) Our patients’ transition back into their communities and families 4) Our sail from Togo to the Canary Islands and the shipyard and technical work.

Serving Together, Keith

Email: keith.brinkman@yahoo.com www.KeithBrinkman.com

Mail: Keith R. Brinkman, Mercy Ships, P.O. Box 2020, Lindale, TX 75771 USA