Medical Mission
GLoSCA partners with local NGO collaborators, volunteer local doctors, nurses, community leaders, health educators, local government health officials and their staff, public, private and teaching hospitals, religious leaders, the kings and chiefs to carry out this and other activities.
The first medical mission trip to Nigeria in December 2008 was a success and has generated more interest in meeting the enormous needs of the people living with sickle cell disease and its complications.
Additional medical mission trips to Nigeria occurred in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Our international collaborators provided volunteers with local transportation, accommodation, and food but the volunteerswere responsible for the international fare (approximately $1350-$1500), local US fares and other miscellaneous expenses.
GLoSCA received donation of non-expired medicines from the AMERICARES Foundation and medical supplies from local health organizations/institutions. Those medications were supplemented with other over the counter medicines and medicated mosquito nets purchased through donations from churches, families and friends. Excess luggage fees incurred were paid by volunteers. These efforts led to the development of a community based clinic in partnership with one of our local collaborators. Patients with chronic conditions are seen on a monthly basis for BP, blood glucose measurements, education and referrals.
- Medical Mission Initiative is a community service in partnership with local health care agencies, clinical providers, non-governmental/civic organizations (NGO) and the community that provides 1-3 day free medical services to underserved people in the rural areas and donation of medical supplies to support the community based sickle cell clinics. To date, the volunteers for the medical mission pay for their trips including accommodation, flight, local transport and meals. The local civic organization or host (usually a church) provides lunch the day of the event.
- Medical Supplies: GLoSCA collects and stores medical supplies designated for donation to the third world countries from local hospitals. We continue to solicit funds to pay for storage and shipment to areas in need of theses supplies. Currently, we do not have enough funds to ship the supplies so we are paying for storage.
- Few supplies have been provided to a non-governmental sickle cell center in Cotonou and Nigeria. These two programs made arrangements to pick up few materials from the stock/storage.
- A warmer for premature babies was donated to Saki Baptist Hospital, Nigeria through a grant from the Build a Bear Foundation. A young college graduate who was delivered as a premature baby in that hospital made the donation on behalf of GLoSCA.
- Medications: The majority of medications used during these medical missions are generously donated by AmeriCares to GLoSCA, inc on behalf of the team. Glosca solicits for donations from members of the community including churches and local civic organizations prior to each scheduled trip. The donations are used to purchase additional medications or supplies that are not available through AmeriCares. These include glucose strips, anti-malaria medications, vitamins and Tylenol to address issues that are very common in these communities.
Your tax deductible donations will go towards the purchase of over the counter medicines and mosquito nets for patients with SCD as well as support the purchase of local medications that patients usually are unable to afford.
