NOVA Medical Mission 25
NOVA Hope for Haiti’s 25th volunteer medical mission was a huge success!
The team was made up of new and returning providers and included three pediatricians, three internal medicine doctors, nurse and non-medical support.
In addition to the direct patient care provided at NOVA’s clinic, the team provided enhanced care to the community on multiple levels. One team of doctors and nurses did preventive fluoride treatments and provided new toothbrushes to hundreds of children at one of the local schools in Cavaillon. Two mobile missions were sent to remote areas and provided care to patients who do not have access to the main clinic facility. For the first time, a small team did some home visits to local elderly home-bound patients.
Beyond the scope of direct patient care, the team had multiple meetings to observe and streamline the care delivered at the clinic. Throughout the week, NOVA’s two full-time Haitian doctors had the opportunity to work with and shadow the US team doctors. One of the US nurses was able to do a lecture and demonstration (on a patient with severe arm burns) about wound care to the clinic staff. The teaching moments were plentiful and there was a wonderful exchange of classical Western Medicine concepts with traditional Haitian medicine. The pediatric team provided an intense review of neonatal and early childhood development concepts to our Haitian counterparts.
No mission is complete without fun activities for the local children. They especially loved the freshly made popcorn in traditional movie style popcorn bags during their two movie nights. There was an afternoon of crafts. Particularly touching was the involvement of the older children in the craft activities. Donated frisbees were a tremendous hit with the children and were played with for hours in the huge field behind the clinic.
Here are some photos from Mission 25:
