Latest News Articles | AMM's 8th Mission to Laos |
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AMM's 8th Mission to Laos
Twenty-nine volunteers from Hawaii and Seattle made up AMM's 8th medical mission to Luang Prabang, Laos March 18 - 25, 2006. Situated at the confluence of the Mekong and Kang Rivers in northern Laos, Luang Prabang is the country's ancient capital. Each morning, AMM volunteers were treated to the sights of saffron-robed monks walking through the town receiving alms.
Half of the team was new and half returning volunteers who specialized in family medicine, ENT/plastic surgery, general surgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, emergency and internal medicine. The Ministry of Health from Luang Prabang and Vientiane, the capital of Laos, accompanied the team during the mission. Our volunteers were very well received by the villages and local health authorities for our humanitarian work. We were warmly welcomed by our Laotian friends and colleagues, and again enjoyed working together with the local staff. Using knowledge gained from prior missions, we tailored our clinics to the community's needs and donated supplies to help as many as we could during our short time in the country. The team traveled each day to five different outlying villages, some quite remote in the mountainous terrain. Patients received medical care and on-the-job training for village health care workers. AMM volunteers also provided extensive education on dental hygiene and infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, a significant public health issue, and safe sex practices. Dr. Phoumy Bounkeua, mission leader, and other volunteers from the public health arena also studied available information and worked with local authorities on strategies to
the common diseases and health concerns in each of the villages. Each village received donations of medications, stethoscopes, BP cuffs, toothbrushes and toothpaste, condoms and first aid supplies. Overall, the mission was a success as we exchanged ideas with our Laotian colleagues, donated medication and supplies, and brought the ‘Spirit of Aloha' to Luang Prabang.
The surgical team worked daily at Luang Prabang Provincial Hospital, built and donated by the People's Republic of China in 2004. Although relatively new and well-designed, the hospital is quite limited because of meager resources for maintenance and upkeep. We learned that two operating rooms had been functioning without electricity for a year. Our team completed 22 operations working closely with our Laotian colleagues. The operations included thyroidectomies, cleft repairs, hernia repairs, splenectomies, orthopedic surgeries, and removal of tumors. The team also taught and provided consultations to our Laotian colleagues, and also learned quite a bit about the challenges of providing medical care in a developing country such as Laos. Dr. Lisa Grininger, Dr. Phoumy Bounkeua
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