how not to save the world - Guest Lecture Flashcards
Darryl Anderson
executive director of Mercy Ships Canada
Mercy Ships
faith-based internatioal NGO that opeares hospital ships run by skilled medical volunteers to provide direct medical care to patients with no access to safe surgical care
- HQ based in the US
- 16 international offices including Canada
- mercy ships global association is based in Switzerland
- Africa service center being created in Senegal
- country engagement teams located in several African countries
direct medical services
women’s health
maxillofacial
orthopedic
reconstructive plastic
general
ophthalmic
Dental
education, training & advocacy
mercy ships delivers capacity-building healthcare education programs to reinforce sustainable medical care in Africa
why ships
- mobility
- training and development
- economy of scale
- stability
- security
- community for crew
global mercy
world’s largest and newest purpose built civilian hospital ship
Africa mercy: hospital ship convert from Roll on Roll-off vessel
global health volunteerism
before volunteering: as yourself “are you running towards something or away from something”
examples of volunteerism
- physician volunteers
- nursing volunteers
volunteer model (allows for greater impact)
more than 1,550 volunteers from 60 countries serve annually aboard our hospital ships in various medical and non-medical roles
practical suggestions for strengthening global health volunteerism
make a personal commitment to have your intentions and actions informed and shaped by global health ethical principles
- humility
- introspection
- solidarity
- social justice
- sphere sovereignty
be open to adapting how you apply your theory of change. Fall in love with a problem not your solution
prioritize time and money to invest in people
volunteer opportunities
example of volunteer roles on the Africa Mercy or Global Mercy
technical – deck officers, marine engineers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, HVAC
medical – nurses, surgeons, OR sterile processing technicians, dentists, ophthalmologists
general – teachers, IT support, hospitality
medical volunteer opportunities influenced by several issues
availability of essential workforce, equipment & supplies
infrastructure deficits:
* electrical supply
* water supply
* medical waste
* road infrastructure
* port infrastructure (at least for Mercy ships)
Factors driving surgical medical volunteerism
the literature suggests that charitable organizations deliver surgery via
- short term surgical trips
- self-contained surgical platforms (Mercy ships)
- surgical hospitals
short-term surgical trips
self-contained surgical platforms
specialty surgical hospitals
self-contained surgical platforms
the self-contained surgical platforms, stands as a testament to comprehensive healthcare
mercy ships operates hospital ships that carry an entire infrastructure, including pathology and radiology. this enables them to offer a wide range of surgeries from general, plastic, reconstructive, orthopedic, maxillofacial to obstetric fistula surgeries
specialty surgical hospitals
a standard model for surgical delivery by NGOs is that these platforms establish an entire physical plant, either new or within an existing structure, dedicated to treating one or a few related surgical conditions
