Cooperation program to equip the clinical teams at the Vilanculo Regional Hospital, Mozambique with means, equipment and training, for point-of-care ultrasound diagnosis in different clinical contexts, such as trauma or infection.
Project VOLTA: go BACK, look BACK, give BACK.
As physicians, we dedicate ourselves body and soul to the care of others, in sickness and in health. We believe that, with our “knowledge/doing”, we can heal, treat and comfort others. But we also believe that, through training, we can enable others to provide quality care and thus expand the scope of our mission, especially where it can make the greatest difference.
With this idea in mind, we are creating a cooperation program in Mozambique to equip the local clinical teams with means – equipment and knowledge – that allow diagnosis by ultrasound in the context of trauma, infection, etc.
This project was born from an emotional trip we took to the Vilaculo region, rich in soft sandy beaches, beautiful landscapes and good-hearted people. However, the means available to local doctors are scarce and it was clear to us that with a small gesture we could have a big impact on the quality of care provided. In this way, and with the support of local teams and the humanitarian organization Associação Marquês de Valle Flôr, we decided to offer the Hospital Regional de Vilanculo two portable multimodal point-of-care ultrasound devices , as well as a technical support and training plan with Portuguese specialists .
This hospital serves four districts in the Inhambane region, a population of hundreds of thousands of people, and has scarce means of imaging diagnosis. From the contact made with the local clinical team, we highlighted the need to:
- repair and replacement of various damaged or outdated equipment,
- supply of reagents for various laboratory tests,
- continuous training of professionals.
Since it is not possible to resolve all issues, we will prioritize those that, being simpler, can be implemented more quickly and have a greater impact. For this reason, we have chosen to supply portable ultrasound devices that condense in a single probe several diagnostic modalities and that can be applied in the most common clinical situations - from trauma and infection, to surgery and obstetrics. In addition, we will offer technical support - including repairs in the event of breakdown or damage, ongoing distance training and even face-to-face training with specialists in Portugal.
We expect, with this project, not only to provide a means that allows better diagnoses and greater decision-making capacity, but above all to contribute to increasing the quality of life of people in the region. We hope this is the first of many collaborative projects for health.
A pesca é a atividade a que se dedica a maioria, tanto adultos como crianças, em Vilanculo.
Carlos Costa
Temos o apoio da Butterfly Network!
A nossa escolha dos aparelhos recaiu sobre os Butterfly iQ+ por serem altamente portáteis e permitirem múltiplos usos com apenas uma sonda, duas características que consideramos da maior importância para o contexto do uso em no Hospital de Vilanculos. Além disso, a integração com o iPad permite assistência remota e educação à distância, via internet, alimentando o nosso projeto na vertente educativa e de suporte pela equipa de imagiologistas experientes.
E após contacto com a equipa da Butterlfy tivemos excelentes notícias:
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"Hi Carlos and Cristina,
Thank you so much for sharing - what amazing work! I wish you all the best in accomplishing your goals with Associação Marquês de Valle Flor. We'd be happy to support you through our Global Health program at Butterfly"
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Ou seja, teremos condições especiais na aquisição dos equipamentos e no acesso à cloud para armazenamento de imagens e formação à distância através do Global Health Program: https://www.butterflynetwork.com/our-mission.
Estamos muito gratos à Butterfly Network por acreditarem no nosso projeto! E a todos vós por nos apoiarem!
Mais notícias em breve!
Carlos e Cristina
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