Bags packed, training materials prepared, and off they went inbound for West Africa! Dr. Wesley Grigsby, Nurse Rachel Zawislak, and translator Joanna Vickers traveled to Togo in the month of March to provide specialized training for local health care providers, surgical residents, and the staff at the GPiH created health center "Centre Medical Compassion D'Agbelouve", in Agbelouve, Togo.
With a collective of over 50 years of medical experience in emergency care, obstetrics, and maternal/child health care between them, Dr. Grigsby and Nurse Rachel had a treasure trove of medical education to share, and the Togolese health care workers were very grateful to receive it all!
"I spent time with area nurses and midwives providing teaching with an emphasis on maternal complications in pregnancy and delivery. We sat in on patient care and provided input as necessary to help with a broad patient base", Nurse Rachel reflected. "We spent time with Lea and the staff at the health center organizing donated supplies and discussing supply needs in order to run the health center efficiently. Joanna Vickers and I also organized the delivery room and made sure urgently needed supplies were easy to access and labeled to ease the delivery process."
Dr. Grigsby was also invited to lecture at the University of Lomé to a group of surgical residents and was greeted by a room full of enthusiastic future surgeons ready to learn. He presented on the Initial Assessment and Management of Trauma Patients. "The students got really engaged when we assessed actual patient scenarios and how they would approach each case. It was a very successful teaching trip!", said Dr. Grigsby.
When asked what prompted her to be a part of this team, Nurse Rachel said, "After working in healthcare for 26 years I felt that I wasn't doing enough with what I have been given in life. I was drawn to the mission of GPiH and wanted to give back. The experience was humbling and I felt welcomed by everyone I encountered. I brought home a greater appreciation for all that I am blessed with and would love nothing more than to travel back to Agbelouve to work with their medical team on future endeavors."
Are you a health care professional looking for a way to share your experiences and wisdom in a bigger way? GPiH is always on the lookout for medical providers who could become a member of a visiting training team. We have several trips planned for 2023/2024 and would love for you to join us! Let us know of your interest at info@globalpartnersinhope.com for further details.