We at Hope Floats Initiative(HFI) are proud to announce the opening of the prototype Amphibious Clinic/Community Center.This effort succeeded with amazing support from our partners and friends at AFH Atlanta as well as Yaba Local Government Development Authority, Lagos.
Much more than the construction of a floating clinic, we celebrate 22 free surgeries carried out by our medical team led by Dr Simeon Afolayan and his surgeon colleagues. We can't express enough gratitude to all courageous and selfless professionals who committed their time and skill to help those unable to afford health care. During Construction in Makoko we were able to provide temporary employment to a few dozen local youths, and a few long-term positions in the community. It was amazing to see the initial skepticism and oft justified mistrust turn into excitement and cooperation among the residents of Makoko.
The clinic is also meant to demonstrate the bottoms-up approach to sustainable development, and aside from solving land-use issue by use of floating platforms we also demonstrated the use of low-cost LED lights graciously donated by RedBirdLED.
Much work remains to be done on the clinic: we are working on deploying composting toilets, low-cost photovoltaic system, rain-water catchment cisterns and self-powered medical equipment.In the coming months HFI will continue rolling out Floating/Amphibious Clinics in locations most in need and work on supporting an amazing medical team in helping them save lives.
Rotational rural surgery for the poor in developing countries
Medical Team:
A O A Aderounmu FICS FWACS*
S A Afolayan FICS PhD (urol)*
T A Nasiru FICS FRCSI*
J A Olaore FICS FWACS†
M L Adeoti FHS FICS*
M Adelasoye MBBS†
Article from TROPICAL DOCTOR 2008; 38: 141–144
SUMMARY
'Radio and television announcements advised
patients with surgical problems in the rural areas of Osun
State, Nigeria, to report at any of the nine zonal headquarters
of the state which were closest to their homes in
order to receive free treatment. Over1000 patients
reported and 801received operations on a rotational basis
within nine weeks.We studied 719 of these patients, ages
between 4 months and 87 years, who had detailed
follow-up records.Therewere14 different procedures
ranging from a hernia repair to the separation of syndactyly.
Complications included postoperative pain, haematoma
and late superficial wound infection.We concluded
that rotational free surgery can help the poor in the third world
countries to receive treatment that they would
otherwise not be able to afford.'
This is the description of the first phase of the program. At the conclusion of the Rural Surgery program over 3000 patients were operated upon. We are privileged to have the support of such a dynamic team of medical professionals to see this project deliver much needed service to the urban informal settlements.