Blogs

Russian Delegation in Knoxville and Memphis: November 1

Nov 01 2011

by Jenny Eaton Dyer, Ph.D.

In following the meetings and events of the Russian delegation learning from Tennessee's wealth of health care corporations, universities, and institutions, we will share their schedule throughout the week.

Today, Tuesday, November 1, the delegates visiting Knoxville have spent the morning at Pellissippi State Community College touring the Nursing Department. This afternoon, they toured the UT Hospital and had a quick photo at the Rachmaninoff statue in World’s Fair Park. Afterwards, they will visit the Knoxville Museum of Art and learn about their Mobile Meals program for the elderly.

In Memphis, the other delegates met this morning at the Christ Community Health Services. This organization is a faith-based network of medical and dental clinics supplemented by a range of community outreach activities.  CCHS serves a primarily low-income minority population that does not have the resources to obtain care elsewhere. For lunch, they visited the Caritas Village. And, this afternoon, they visited the Assisi Foundation of Memphis for a presentation and discussion on current health care reform initiatives and then the Hope and Healing Center to learn about their wellness and fitness program for a low-income population.

FGHL Blog: Walter Schratt - Kijabe: An Island of Hope in a Country of Medical Need

Nov 01 2011

I arrived at the beginning of September for my first time in Africa. I really did not know what to expect but after 2 weeks I am really deeply impressed. Kijabe hospital is a medical center in Kenya where people get medical treatment at a high level for a reasonable price. The doctors are well trained – mostly in America and Australia, the residents, house and medical officers are highly motivated, have abundant basic medical knowledge, and, on top of that, they receive a detailed and profound training in their specialties that will prepare them for their challenges in the smaller community hospitals. Politics just has to make sure that they stay here in Africa to serve their countries and their people after they are finished with their training.

Open World Program Hosts Russian Delegates: D.C. and Tennessee

Oct 31 2011

In May 2007, Dr. William H. Frist co-led a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) delegation to Russia to participate in the first St. Petersburg State University Forum on Global Health. The forum explored bi-national cooperation in health and health care delivery, including the exploration of establishing a public health initiative in Russia.

At the conclusion of the trip, Senator Frist published the paper: “Improving Russian-U.S. Collaboration on Health” (Washington Quarterly, 30:4, 2007, pp. 7-17) which focused on how Russia and the U.S., in a time fraught with tension, could work together to solve public health issues in terms of policy, behavioral change, and chronic disease. Both could emerge as better, healthier, more viable countries, with health partnerships strengthening diplomatic relations.

FGHL Blog: Sina Iranmanesh - Lessons Learned in Kijabe

Oct 12 2011

No doubt, working at Kijabe is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Upon setting foot on the dirt road leading to the hospital, I knew I would face many hurdles over the next four weeks as a general surgery resident. Over time, I appreciated subtle clues and changes in each patient’s physical exam to help guide the management of their care without relying on further information.

Last Stops!: Closing down Water=Hope

Oct 01 2011

by Brande Jackson
After working with over 100 volunteers and getting 5000 new supporters for clean water initiatives, Water = Hope wrapped up another fun summer with the Brad Paisley H2O tour!

Our last weekend started out in rainy Philadelphia, where we were still able to have a great night - Philly was one of our best stops on the 2010 tour! - thanks to a hard working volunteer team that braved the elements to talk to fans and build support. We could not have done it without them!

FGHL Blog: Omo Aisagbonhi - Making the Rounds: Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Aug 18 2011

Today started as usual with ward rounds, visiting my patients: Stephen, baba with DM and Mr. SO whom we operated on for appendicitis. I really feel sorry for Stephen’s dad.

Then we went to the OR where we had one scheduled surgery and one emergent ex-lap. The scheduled surgery was removal of a breast mass; turned out to be a chocolate cyst (grossly). I really enjoyed having scrubbed in. I started the IV line and first-assisted; also got to close the skin. I really do enjoy surgery especially on days like this when I feel competent; when the operation went well, when I closed skin properly, when I feel I helped the team help a patient.

Politico Playbook: Crisis in the Horn of Africa

Aug 11 2011

CRISIS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA - Dr. Bill Frist, former Senate majority leader, telephoned Playbook after returning from a trip with Dr. Jill Biden to a famine refugee camp on the Kenya-Somalia border: "The Horn of Africa is undergoing the most acute food-security emergency in the last 25 years - 29,000 kids have died in the last 90 days. The response to the crisis is improving globally, but the magnitude is outstripped the supplies. ... Two issues that I'm stressing: Number one, lives can be saved by both individual Americans, and taxpayers through our government responding and investing. And, number two, our long-term investments over the last 10 years, through the USAID, in the Horn of Africa, have paid off. ... "Dr. Biden is very effective in listening, observing, listening, asking questions, and representing the United States in terms of concern and commitment of support. Because she's not in the political hotbed, for me, who's out of politics, she was a perfect leader for the delegation. ... I have visited refugee camps in Chad and Darfur ... The striking difference here is the lack of access in Somalia, because of a dysfunctional government. There's no access to the millions of people in Somalia, where the famine is worst. Therefore, the refugees all have to go to Ethiopia and Kenya, where there is economic stress and environmental stress. ... The crowding in the refugee camps has resulted in pneumonia and a very rare skin disorder, ictchyosis. The kids are dying of pneumonia and diarrheal diseases. ... Individuals who do want to invest, the easiest place to go is USAID.gov, which has a list of nongovernment organizations."

FGHL Blog: Julie Shelton - In the Casualty Ward: Helping and Healing in Kijabe, Kenya

Aug 10 2011

I have been in Kijabe for almost three weeks and today is the first day I received a hard and fast sign that I am in a developing country. No power. No explanation. On one minute then off the next. It happened in the OR – just a blink – but serves as a reminder that as much as there is available here in Kijabe, more than in many other hospitals in Kenya, it is still a tenuous resource. One that is dependent on the hard work of so many to keep things running as smoothly as possible so that the lights stay on, the available suture will be strong enough to hold a knot, and blood will be available for the patient with anemia who needs to have his spleen out.
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