Global Healing

 

Spring 2013: Volume 6, Issue 1

 



MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

IBSF

ABOVE: Luke Ifland speaks at the International Blood Safety Forum in Washington, D.C.


Over the past several months, I have been reminded time and again of the importance of collaboration and partnership. To advance our mission into more sites, we have worked in conjunction with numerous organizations to ensure we are as effective as possible. While Global Healing can only tackle so much of the global challenge of improving the quality of and access to medical care around the world, we can partner with likeminded organizations to leverage our mutual areas of expertise. Together, we can make a greater impact.

Most recently, Global Healing opened a stateof-the-art hospital transfusion service in Haiti within the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais, newly built by Partners In Health. Global Healing started a project in Ukraine with our partners at the American International Health Alliance (AIHA). Last fall, the Georgian electorate voted in a new government, and with it, new leadership over public health programs. We have started working more closely with the University of California, San Francisco to transition the pediatric oral health program we established in Roatán, Honduras.

In March, Global Healing hosted the International Blood Safety Forum with America’s Blood Centers (ABC) and Helmer Scientific. For the first time, specialists from around the world convened in Washington, D.C. to discuss current trends, projects and needs to improve blood safety in developing countries. ABC has been generous enough to sponsor an email listserv to facilitate ongoing communication between interested parties. It is just the first step forward in enhancing our collective impact within the realm of global blood safety.

The new partnerships will enable us to accomplish much more than if we were working alone. We look forward to sharing the successes stemming from these collaborative alliances with you, and invite you to join in these efforts. Read further to learn about how you can get involved.

Sincerely,
Luke Ifland



NEW LEADERSHIP IN GEORGIA BRINGS RENEWED ENERGY INTO BLOOD SAFETY PROGRAM

NCDC

ABOVE: Vincent Lok looks at a possible blood mobile vehicle in Tbilisi, Georgia.


In the past several months, the Republic of Georgia has seen changes at some of their top governmental positions. In late 2012, Bidzina Ivanishvili was elected the new Prime Minister of Georgia. His new appointment lead to several other changes, including a new Minister of Health in David Sergeenko MD, a former Jo Ann Medical Center doctor, and a new director of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health – now held by Amiran Gamkrelidze MD. Global Healing looks forward to continue advancing national blood safety with the new administration!

Luke Ifland made a quick visit to Georgia in April 2013. During his visit, he met with representatives from the Georgian Central Blood Bank and Jo Ann Medical Center Blood Bank – both are making strong progress in increasing blood donations. Global Healing has recently shipped a 40-foot sea container to Georgia that contains several automated plasma and platelet collection instruments, donor lounges and other blood banking equipment and supplies. Thank you to all the organizations and companies who donated - your contributions bring us closer to completing our mission and objectives!

Later this year, Global Healing will focus on integrating local Rotary clubs with donor recruitment efforts. The Rotary Club Tbilisi International has in the past supported Global Healing’s blood safety program in Georgia, and this is the next step to have them become more involved with the community. Rotarians are naturally poised leaders in the community to encourage and drive blood donations up.

Working with the new administration and local stakeholders, Global Healing will help guide the development of a facility accreditation system, including an assessment tool in which trained national inspectors can do external audits. We look forward to working with them to elevate national quality management and overall blood safety.



NEW HOSPITAL BRINGS HOPE TO HAITIAN HEALTH CARE

HUM

ABOVE: Thomas Long, Dustin Etchison, and Leonce Jean-Baptiste (Helmer Scientific) pose in front of the newly constructed Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais in Haiti.


Global Healing is back in Haiti working with Partners In Health (PIH) at the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (HUM). This spring we have already hosted two training trips in parallel with the opening of patient services at HUM. The new hospital boasts some of the most advanced technology in the country and we are thrilled to be able to work jointly in establishing the blood bank and transfusion service.

One of the early challenges of this project is the chronic shortage of blood in the country. This is evident at medical facilities throughout, and Global Healing is working with the Croix-Rouge Haïtienne and HUM to manage the release of blood products appropriately throughout the Central Plateau. Global Healing will send a donor recruitment specialist to work with Croix-Rouge Haïtienne in the near future.

In March, Helmer Scientific and Héma-Québec sent engineers and trainers for the inaugural training trip. Helmer Scientific had previously donated much of the blood banking storage equipment and they sent Leonce Jean-Baptiste, Thomas Long and Dustin Etchison to install the equipment and hold sessions on preventative care and repairs. Their technical and engineering expertise was much appreciated and the trip was a success and impactful, especially for Leonce who is originally from Haiti. When asked to reflect about his participation, Leonce says:

“As a Haitian immigrant living in the U.S., I have always struggled to find the most effective and sustainable project to help my native country. I was honored and humbled to be able to take part in Global Healing and Helmer Scientific’s joint training project in Haiti at Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais.

The eagerness and desire of the Haitian trainees to master new technology, blood banking best practices and new blood safety procedures was truly inspiring.”

Nadia Baillargeon, Héma-Québec, was instrumental in training blood bank technicians on compatibility testing procedures for when HUM opens and safe and compatible blood products will be needed for transfusions. Our first trip, while brief, was very important in setting the foundation for subsequent trainings. The local hospital staff is very receptive of our presence and eager to learn more about improving current blood bank practices and standards.

Less than a month later, Global Healing returned with new trainers to focus on quality assurance, component production and transfusion medicine. HUM blood bank technologist were cross-trained in several areas, while clinicians and nurses attended various lectures given by Dr. Benjamin Rioux-Massé, ranging from component therapy to hemoglobinopathies.

We are very happy to be part of this rewarding project. It truly will take everyone’s involvement and partnership to setup the services at HUM. Fortunately, the Izumi Foundation has awarded Global Healing a grant to support their work with HUM in Haiti.



PEDIATRICANS NEEDED IN ROATAN, HONDURAS

RVPC


Global Healing is searching for third-year pediatric residents and pediatric attendings to serve in the Roatan Volunteer Pediatric Clinic in Honduras. The opportunity provides physicians the opportunity to hone clinical skills in an environment with limited resources and technical services while working closely with the local Honduran pediatrician. The candidate will have the chance to see and treat a spectrum of conditions such as malaria, dengue, and gastrointestinal parasites that are not usually seen in their practice.

Candidates must have at least two years of pediatric residency training and be either board-eligible or board-certified. All clinical exams are conducted in Spanish. Those interested can contact Lindsay Lightbody at rvpc@globalhealing.org



A GLOBAL FIRST: INTERNATIONAL BLOOD SAFETY FORUM

IBSF

ABOVE: International organizations convene at the International Blood Safety Forum to discuss our programs and mutual needs on March 14.


On March 14 and 15, international experts in blood safety convened for the first time at the International Blood Safety Forum in Washington, D.C. Together with America’s Blood Centers (ABC) and Helmer Scientific, Global Healing hosted two days of meetings with the intention of identifying mechanisms to collaborate together, share resources, discuss challenges and needs, and identify a path forward. Representing nine countries, individuals from the US Military, Food and Drug Administration, international organizations and American blood centers attended the event. Currently, we are working to convert the enthusiasm from the event into productive action.

We have already started an email listserv sponsored by ABC for our nascent alliance. If you would like to join, send us an email at contact@globalhealing.org, and we will add you to the list. We continue to work with our colleagues to building other meaningful mechanisms to enhance our collaboration, including an equipment and material exchange website and online space to share training and reference materials.



THE FINAL STEP: LOCAL CAPACITY, LOCAL CONTROL

moldova

ABOVE: Team members finishing our work in Chisinau, Moldova, October 2012.


Our current relationship with the national blood service in Moldova highlights a critical stage of our program model: transition to local control. We have worked in Moldova since formally partnering in December 2008 to build a national quality system, modernize hospital transfusion services, and establish a national immunohematology reference laboratory. Through a series of active trainings and medical technology transfer, we have built local capacity and brought the Moldovan national blood service into the 21st century. While we have enjoyed so many great successes and overcome many challenges with our Moldovan colleagues, it is critical to ensure there is a strong sense of ownership of what we have built together. As with all our programs, the public healthcare system will assume responsibility for ongoing activities and continuous improvement.

The Ministry of Health of Moldova has committed to not just sustaining our efforts, but also to scale up our efforts across the country. This means improved blood transfusions for the patients that need them most: pregnant women, those undergoing cancer treatment, and surgical patients. We applaud the support of the Ministry of Health and the dedication of our colleagues in Moldova to continuing to improve their blood service.



NEW FRONTIERS IN UKRAINE

ukraine

ABOVE: Bob Lalonde, MT(ASCP), CLS and Roger Svoboda, MBA, MT(ASCP) at Kyiv Regional Blood Center.


Working with the American International Health Alliance (AIHA) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Global Healing has started a new project in Ukraine. Over the past several months, we started to assess the current state of the blood service in Ukraine. In conjunction with local stakeholders, we have agreed to work with the following project sites to create a model of excellence that can be replicated throughout the country: Kyiv city, Kyiv oblast (region), Lugansk, Lviv, Odessa, Rivne and Zhitomir.

Ukraine suffers from the most severe epidemic in all of Europe, with approximately 350,000 adults living with HIV and 1.1% prevalence. According to the World Health Organization, proper blood banking practices can reduce HIV transmission by 5-10%. So far we have been very impressed by the level of sophistication that exists at the blood centers. However, as is the case with many developing countries, there are key opportunities to improve blood safety by establishing a robust national quality system and building a base of volunteer blood donors. We are very optimistic that our Ukrainian colleagues will be very successful in making the improvements necessary to enhancing blood safety.



HOW YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

As always, Global Healing appreciates all the support from our donors and our sponsors. The sustainable healthcare programs we have implemented worldwide would not have garnered such great success and development without the generosity from our partnering organizations. As we continue to build upon our accomplishments and provide accessible healthcare to other underdeveloped nations, we greatly appreciate donations in any form.

Please join Global Healing in our mission to provide modern medicine for the developing world. If you would like to find out how you can help Global Healing, by volunteering, making a cash contribution, or otherwise, visit our website: Donate online today!

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Global Healing is a U.S. & UK registered nonprofit organization.
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