MedPLUS  Connect  Annual  Report  2013  

 Letter  from  the  Executive  Director      This  past  year  was  a  year  of  great  progress  for  MedPLUS  Connect.  In  2013  we  shipped  over  29,000  pounds  of  life  saving  medical  supplies.  We  also  continued  our  regional  shipments,  expanded  our  organization  with  new  partnerships,  and  finished  construction  on  the  Lawra  Nutrition  Rehabilitation  Center,  which  began  treating  its  first  patients.  It  was  also  a  year  filled  with  a  unique  set  of  struggles.  Our  containers  were  delayed  due  to  bureaucracy  issues  within  the  Ministry  of  Health  and  our  timelines  had  to  be  readjusted.  However,  we  continue  to  hear  how  much  the  medical  supplies  we  send  and  projects  like  the  nutrition  center  benefit  the  communities  that  receive  them.      Since  2008,  MedPLUS  Connect  has  shipped  more  than  $2  million  worth  of  medical  supplies  and  equipment  to  Ghana.  In  2013,  we  sent  two  containers  holding  supplies  valued  at    $273,285.  Our  first  container  was  to  Gwollu  Hospital  in  the  Upper  West  Region.  After  receiving  the  final  packing  list  for  the  container,  Dr.  Bukari,  the  medical  director  of  Gwollu,  told  us  that  approximately  70%  of  the  annual  budget  for  Gwollu  Hospital  is  spent  on  purchasing  medical  supplies  and  our  shipment  of  medical  supplies  will  save  his  hospital  “about  50  to  60  per  cent  of  our  annual  budget."  These  savings  can  now  be  diverted  towards  expanding  other  needed  health  programs  at  the  hospital.  Our  second  container  was  a  regional  container  for  the  Upper  East  Region  that  will  benefit  over  50  hospitals  and  health  centers  throughout  the  Upper  East.      Within  the  first  month  of  opening,  the  nutrition  center  treated  14  malnourished  children  and  helped  them  recover.  We  also  began  a  partnership  with  Global  Giving,  an  online  fundraising  source  for  nonprofits.  This  has  allowed  us  to  begin  the  process  of  establishing  the  first  cervical  cancer  program  in  the  Upper  West  Region  of  Ghana.  With  all  that  2013  held  for  MedPLUS  Connect,  we  are  looking  forward  to  this  upcoming  year.      

                 

2013  Staff    

Anna  Finestone,  Executive  Director  Ackom  Amuquandoh,  In  Country  Director  

   2013  Board  of  Directors  

 Lauren  Slive,  Board  President  Habib  Yakubu,  Vice  President  

Emily  Nix,  Treasurer  Harriet  Slive,  Secretary  

Emma  Lawrence    Jack  Lawrence  Sonya  Narla

 Mission    The  mission  of  MedPLUS  Connect  is  to  connect  underserved  health  systems  in  developing  countries  with  recovered  and  donated  medical  supplies  from  U.S.  hospitals  and  manufacturers.  MedPLUS  Connect  empowers  health  personnel  in  developing  countries  to  select  medical  supplies  that  are  compatible  with  local  resources  and  needs,  and  to  fund  shipments  of  these  supplies  in  a  sustainable,  predictable  and  reliable  manner.      

 

 

         

   

Surgical  packets  being  assembled  for  the  Upper  East  Region  container                      

Valuable  Shipments          “Delays  in  providing  service  associated  with  shortages  or  lack  of  medical  supplies  will  be  a  thing  of  the  past…Most  importantly  the  health  service  will  be  able  to  build  confidence  among  its  clients  with  modern  equipment  and  supplies  that  were  not  present  in  the  facilities.”      Dr.  Bukari,  the  Medical  Director  of  Gwollu  Hospital,  spoke  the  above  quote  after  receiving  the  40-­‐foot  container  we  shipped  to  the  hospital  in  2013.  Gwollu  is  a  former  health  center  that  was  recently  converted  to  a  primary  hospital  and  now  serves  as  the  principal  provider  of  health  care  for  the  Sisala  West  District  in  the  Upper  West  Region.      In  the  container  to  Gwollu  Hospital  were  50  hospital  mattresses,  11  examination  lamps,  and  a  pulse  oximeter.  Due  to  its  recent  transition  from  a  health  center  to  a  hospital,  Gwollu  was  severely  lacking  critical  supplies  and  needed  obsolete  equipment  replaced,  especially  in  regards  to  OBGYN  care.  In  response  to  this  we  were  able  to  send  an  ultrasound  machine,  5  OB  delivery  beds,  2  handheld  fetal  dopplers,  and  ultrasound  gel.  The  ultrasound  machine  included  in  this  container  is  the  first  in  this  area  and  will  be  critical  in  providing  maternal  services,  promoting  early  diagnosis  of  difficult  pregnancies,  and  preventing  emergency  situations.  In  addition  to  the  equipment,  we  sent  a  large  number  of  consumable  supplies  including  respirator  masks,  syringes,  catheters,  IV  start  kits,  scrub  sets,  and  197,100  examination  gloves.      Our  second  container  in  2013  was  a  regional  container  for  the  Upper  East  Region.  Regional  containers  are  crucial  in  reaching  more  rural  health  centers  and  smaller  hospitals  that  may  not  need  an  entire  container  but  still  have  a  shortage  of  vital  supplies  and  equipment.  Some  of  the  equipment  in  this  container  included  16  exam  tables,  12  wheelchairs,  11  hospital  beds,  6  combination  oto/ophthalmoscopes,  5  vital  sign  monitors,  2  oxygen  concentrators,  and  1  ultrasound  machine.  The  Upper  East  currently  has  an  extremely  high  demand  for  consumable  supplies  as  well  as  digital  thermometers,  blood  pressure  cuffs,  and  stethoscopes,  so  we  shipped  1,000  BP  cuffs,  500  thermometers,  and  125  stethoscopes.  This  container  also  held  5  pallets  of  mixed  medical  supplies,  consisting  of  syringes,  needles,  catheters,  surgical  drapes  and  109,604  gloves.  These  supplies  and  machines  are  currently  being  distributed  to  5  hospitals  and  46  health  centers  throughout  the  region.  The  ability  to  deliver  these  valuable  supplies  to  such  a  high  number  of  rural  health  centers  is  what  makes  regional  shipments  so  worthwhile.                  

         

         

       

 Supplies  and  equipment  packed  for  Gwollu  Hospital  in  Sisala  West    

                 

   

In  2013,  MedPLUS  Connect  sent:      

29,698  Pounds  of  Medical  Supplies  containing:    

   

               

   

0  

5  

10  

15  

20  

25  

30  

35  

IV  Poles     Walkers     Nebulizers    

Gwollu  Hospital   Upper  East  Region    

306,704  Examination  and  Surgical  Gloves  1,030  Blood  Pressure  Cuffs  

530  Thermometers  155  Stethoscopes  11  Hospital  Beds  

50  Hospital  Mattresses  

Treating  Malnutrition  2013  saw  the  completion  of  construction  and  the  opening  of  the  Lawra  Nutrition  Rehabilitation  Center.  With  the  aid  of  several  donations  and  grants,  MedPLUS  Connect  served  as  a  resource  for  the  construction  of  the  building,  purchasing  the  necessary  supplies,  and  training  of  hospital  staff.  Now  that  the  building  of  the  center  is  complete,  the  hospital  will  provide  the  ongoing  management  and  treatment.  While  the  construction  process  was  longer  than  anticipated,  it  has  been  immensely  rewarding  to  see  the  plans  for  the  nutrition  center  reach  fulfillment  and  witness  the  treating  of  its  first  patients.  Within  its  first  month  of  opening,  there  were  14  children  treated  and  20  mothers  were  given  nutrition  education.  The  idea  for  the  Lawra  Nutrition  Rehabilitation  Center  developed  after  several  lengthy  discussions  between  MedPLUS  Connect  and  the  medical  director  of  the  Lawra  District  Hospital  after  witnessing  the  high  rates  of  malnutrition  in  the  area.      Ghana  faces  staggering  child  health  and  malnutrition  challenges.  This  issue  is  particularly  critical  in  rural  areas,  which  lack  fundamental  maternal  and  child  nutrition  services.  Ghana’s  national  malnutrition  rate  of  22.1%  masks  severe  regional  disparities,  with  33%  of  northern  children  under  five  classified  as  underweight  and  48%  of  northern  children  under  five  classified  as  stunted  .The  World  Health  Organization  estimates  that  malnutrition  accounts  for  approximately  54%  of  post-­‐infancy  childhood  deaths  in  Ghana.  Lawra,  located  in  the  Upper  West  Region,  has  a  population  of  23,000  children  and  an  Infant  Mortality  Rate  more  than  double  that  of  the  south.  Dr.  Abukari  Abdueli,  the  former  Medical  Director  of  the  Lawra  District  Hospital,  cites  malnutrition  as  the  fundamental  underlier  of  preventable  childhood  disease  and  death  in  Lawra.  Therefore,  the  need  for  the  Lawra  Nutrition  Rehabilitation  Center  was,  and  is,  great.      Since  opening  in  October,  the  nutrition  center  has  treated  a  total  of  27  children  in  the  area,  recuperating  many.    A  particularly  moving  story  about  one  of  these  children  involves  James,  an  eighteen-­‐month-­‐old  boy  from  Baapare-­‐Babile  in  the  Upper  West  Region.  His  parents  are  peasant  farmers  and  James  is  their  fourth  child.  James  presented  as  severely  undernourished  and  as  suffering  from  edema,  a  key  sign  of  the  form  of  malnutrition  known  as  kwashikor.  He  also  suffered  from  a  significant  lack  of  appetite  and  had  not  attempted  to  start  walking  yet.  After  one  week  of  receiving  inpatient  care  and  a  therapeutic  diet  at  the  nutrition  center,  James’  appetite  returned  and  after  two  weeks  of  treatment  his  edema  was  no  longer  present.  After  being  discharged  from  the  hospital,  James  continued  to  receive  follow  up  treatment  at  the  nutrition  center  and  his  mother  received  education  on  how  to  provide  her  children  with  a  healthy  diet  based  on  local  ingredients.  On  their  last  visit,  James’  mother  excitedly  reported  that  he  had  started  trying  to  walk.  Every  week  the  nutrition  center  helps  children  like  James  recover  from  malnutrition  and  gain  a  healthy  new  start  and  future.            

           

   

The  completed  Lawra  Nutrition  Rehabilitation  Center                              

New  Horizons        

At  the  end  of  2013,  MedPLUS  Connect  competed  to  become  a  new  partner  with  the  nonprofit  fundraising  site,  Global  Giving.  We  successfully  raised  $5,000  over  a  time  period  of  one  month  and  were  granted  a  permanent  fundraising  page  on  Global  Giving’s  website.  This  has  opened  up  new  resources  for  our  organization  and  allowed  us  to  fundraise  for  a  new  project,  establishing  the  first  cervical  cancer  screening  and  treatment  program  in  the  Upper  West  Region.      Although  cervical  cancer  is  the  most  common  cancer  and  the  leading  cause  of  cancer  death  among  women  in  Ghana,  cervical  care  is  not  a  service  currently  provided  in  the  Upper  West  Region.  Instead,  women  must  travel  up  to  700km  (435  miles)  to  receive  treatment.  The  distance  and  cost  of  transportation  to  health  centers  offering  treatment  is  a  significant  burden  and  an  often  insurmountable  obstacle  that  directly  impacts  the  morbidity  and  mortality  of  women  suffering  from  cervical  cancer  in  the  Upper  West.  This  is  particularly  upsetting  because  cervical  cancer  can  be  easily  treated  when  found  in  early  stages.  However,  without  nearby  screening  options,  this  rarely  happens  for  women  in  the  Upper  West.  Our  project  will  provide  preventive  and  comprehensive  cervical  care  for  the  entire  Upper  West  Region.  Select  nurses  at  the  five  district  hospitals  in  the  region  will  be  trained  to  conduct  visual  inspections  to  screen  for  potential  cervical  cancer  cases.  Confirmed  cases  will  then  begin  treatment  at  the  Wa  Regional  Hospital,  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Fofie,  a  skilled  and  dedicated  OBGYN  employed  at  the  Wa  Hospital.      We’ve  received  our  first  fundraising  disbursement  and  are  in  the  process  of  purchasing  the  first  pieces  of  equipment  that  will  enable  this  program  to  become  a  reality.                                  

                           

Financial  Summary        Monetary  Income  Government  contract   $115,055.00  Individual  donations   $8,326.00  Event  income   $76.41    Indirect  Public  Support   $94.71    Gifts  and  services  in  kind   $60.00    Total  Revenue  and  support   $123,612.12  Monetary  Expenses    Program  expenses   $51,336.92  Administration*   $19,104.64    Fundraising   $58.14  In-­‐kind  expenses   $1,205.94    Total  expenses   $71,705.64  Surplus:  $51,906.48**  *Administration  costs  include  the  Executive  Director’s  stipend,  In  Country  Director  reimbursement  and  payment,  and  website  maintenance  **The  surplus  is  a  result  of  receiving  funds  for  5  containers  but  only  having  been  able  to  send  2  in  this  calendar  year  and  a  delay  in  receiving  our  disbursements  from  our  Global  Giving  fundraising  campaign          

 

Program  71%  

Administration  27%  

Fundraising    0%  

In  Kind  2%  

Expenses  

Donations      More  than  50  donors  provided  MedPLUS  Connect  with  crucial  support  during  2013.  This  support  allowed  us  to  send  two  life  saving  containers  of  medical  equipment  to  Ghana,  finish  construction  on  the  nutrition  center,  and  especially  to  develop  the  cervical  cancer  screening  and  treatment  program.    Thank  you  to  all  who  donated  to  improve  the  chances  of  survival  and  health  in  northern  Ghana.      Business  Donations  Buckeye  Medical  Supply    Matthew  Van  of  the  Jolly  Scholar    ASUN  Inc.    Top  Individual  Contributions      Susan  Ashe    Dr.  Doug  Finestone    Philip  Gennett  and  Lauren  Slive    Richard  and  Annie  Hubbard  Charles  Lawrence    Debra  Lawrence    Dr.  and  Mrs.  Sudhir  K.  Narla      

 Rob  and  Lilly  Nix    Violet  Nix    William  Nix    Rees  Midgley    Patricia  Pogue  Dr.  Glenn  and  Lois  Rohrer    Edward  and  Adrienne  Schmitz    Harriet  Slive

 Individual  Donations      Danielle  Allen    Reid  and  Sara  Braswell    Alice  Gould  Butts    Emily  Carpenter    Anne  Conley  Thomas  Edwards  Barbara  Fleming    James  Heide    Rebecca  Heide  Ruth  Heide    Jaqueline  Hummel    Nancy  Krauss    Katherine  Lank    Christine  LeViere    Nicole  LeViere    

 Nicholas  LeViere    Rika  Mead    Sherry  Naegele    Emily  Nix    Monique  Pilardi    Nikhil  Singh    Casey  Slive  Cristina  Tello    Robert  Turpin    Dr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  E.  Vargo  David  Wakulchik    Megan  Ward  Elaine  Weinmann    Judith  Gaynor  Weisblatt    Tatyana  Zinger    

               

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