Medicine on the Move

Reaching up and Reaching out campaign...

Medicine on the Move is working to provide possibilities through advocacy, to raise funds and awareness of the need to provide training, and logistics for the improvement of quality medical services in Africa, especially in rural Africa, with an emphasis on rural clinics and trauma transport cases.

ADVOCACY: Like Medicine on the Move many other organisations are working in Africa on humanitarian projects. Unfortunately, despite often long and valiant efforts, many fail due to the inability to overcome administrative demands required to facilitate their work due to remote locations, lack of resources and/or mandate to work on solutions to administrative and policy changes

Medicine on the Move recognises the importance of advocacy work related to the opening up of channels, systems and opportunities for the relief of sickness and provision of medical aid to the injured. We believe that lobbying dialogue, presentations and proposals are essential to obtain approvals for many aspects of medical treatment and related transport systems (such as flying doctor services). Furthermore, it is important to ensure that those providing essential services and systems are recognised and promoted, through the same advocacy

EQUIPMENT: Due to logisitical and customs challenges we cannot accept any more equipment donations at this time. It is sad, but the cost of transport and clearing (especially the administrative cost at the African end) is exceeding the value of items being sent. Until this is resolved this activity is reduced to clearing only items already inthe system. Thank you for understanding....

TRANSPORT: It has been suggested that 70% of all survivors of Road Traffic Accidents in rural areas die on their way to, or soon after arrival at a medical facility, primarily due to transport and handling issues. Consequently we are concentrating on the provision of air-borne solutions using STOL aircraft in our reaching up and reaching out campaign..

TRAINING: The need for training at different levels is essential for the long-term, sustainable provision of medical facilities and support in Africa. We support the development and delivery of courses that are adapted specifically to the needs in the area concerned. We are working closely with iTEC in the USA to provide appropriate solutions appropriately.. By training community leaders in the rural areas, such as pastors and youth leaders, we hope to establish an organic network of frontline support. This frontline medical support will themselves be supported as much as possible towards meeting their developmental and logistical support needs.

FACILITIES: Medicine on the Field Operations are currently based at Okenenya in the eastern region of Ghana, where we operate a 52-acre facility, including a training area for up to 90 delegates , a 200 square metre workshop, a hangar, small airstrip, basic accommodation and administrative centre. The facility provides ideal areas for local environment training and is located just 80 km from Accra with its international airport. In the UK there are no formal offices but rely on volunteers to ensure that maximum resources are directed solely towards development in Africa.

AREAS OF OPERATION; We currently operate primarily in Ghana but hope to soon be able to provide support to Togo, Burkina Faso and Benin. As our systems grow, we hope to see our concepts embraced across West Africa and the Continent as a whole.

WHY SHOULD I HELP?: Today many people are located a days journey or more from medical support, often travelling too late or not at all due to their circumstances. Furthermore, the cost of basic medical care is beyond their reach. Those involved in serious farming or road accidents (generally male bread-winners) often suffer more and longer or die due to difficulties in medical handling and lack of suitable transport.

By supporting Medicine on the Move, you will be helping to bring rural support through bush-medics, flying-clinics and transport of patients and medical personnel in a time aware manner to ensure improved access to basic medical facilities. Furthermore ,you would be working towards the support of long term solutions such as ambulances, paramedic motorcyclists and flying doctors that will provide solutions unimaginable to the people of Africa. In short, by supporting Medicine on the Move you will be bringing hope, improved quality of life, reduced suffering and saving the livelihoods of Africans and their families.

SHORT TERM VOLUNTEERS: So many people desire to get involved in some form of relief work, but do not want to give up their summer holidays! We help co-ordinate Medicine on the Move volunteers in the field in order to experience the “real Africa”, assisting with rural clinics, administration ,etc, but still ensure that each family gets an experience that makes their trip the most beneficial vacation ever!

HOW CAN I HELP? We seek your help in many ways:
1. Financial support: Like all charitable organisations we rely upon the support of gifts, grants and loans to carry out our work. Should you decide to support us we can assure you that your support will go towards making a difference to the people in Africa, in the most rural of locations.

2. Volunteer : Come on out as a short term or long term volunteer. You must be physically fit and aware of the health risks involved (malaria, yellow fever, typhoid and cholera are the main and avoidable ones). If you are coming with a family, we can work with you to plan a beneficially rewarding trip for all the family. We do not recommend bringing children of 8 years or under to remote areas.

3. Awareness: Make our work known to those around you. If you are a member of an organisation that has an interest in operations such as ours, we welcome the opportunity to come and talk to your folks. We provide a number of presentations from 5 to 60 minutes that can be tailored to suit all needs.

To find out more please contact:

infoATmedicineonthemove.org (please replace the AT with @, this is to reduce spam hits....)