Medical Story: Clinic
December 31, 2019
Ethiopia ACT hosted a medical team from California during the week of November 16 through November 22. As always, one of the goals of the medical clinic was to reach the needy in the community as well as to help our project beneficiaries needing medical care. The team was composed of four medical doctors, two nurses, and a pastor from Redeemer Church. We also had one volunteer doctor who came to assist in clinic for two days.
The clinic ran for five consecutive days in three different project sites in Suki, Akaki Kality, and Gudina Tumsa (a center for special needs children). During the five days, the clinic was able to see around 442 patients in total and distributed more than 200 pairs of reading glasses.
Out of the total patients seen, there were around twenty serious cases the team investigated which required further evaluation and management – one requiring surgery after the team left. Ethiopia ACT was able to help those special cases by connecting them to the local healthcare system where they will receive the ongoing treatment and specialized care they require.
The presence of the medical team in the community helps not only the medically needy in the communities we serve, but it also empowers the local churches within those communities. The churches who graciously offer their grounds to host our clinics repeatedly report to Ethiopia ACT the positive impact of opening their space for clinic use. Because of these partnerships with local churches, church leaders are able to easily connect with their community – reporting that every day new visitors are knocking on their doors seeking physical and spiritual help.