Several students expressed interest in travelling with the DCU Global Brigades medical brigade to Ghana next year at a recent meeting held on campus by the organisation.
The brigade, which provides valuable health services to rural communities, will travel after semester two exams.
Team leader Katie Ní Dhubhláin travelled to Ghana with Global Brigades in June 2013, only to come back inspired and determined to organise another trip for this year. She described the experience as life-changing and thoroughly rewarding.
“The impact we have on these communities is huge, and they are ever so grateful for the work we do” said Ní Dhubhláin. She recounted the rewarding nature of her previous trip, where 700 patients were treated in her clinic alone, benefiting the Ekumfi Nanabin and Ekumfi Srafa Abuano regions.
Work carried out by students, including public health workshops and one on one consultations, is supervised by Ghanaian medical professionals. A patient referral system put in place has also proved to be extremely effective.
Ní Dhubhláin recalls a particularly emotional case where the patient referral system was implemented on a previous brigade. A woman entered the clinic believing she was pregnant. Following an outside examination she discovered she was actually carrying a large tumour in her stomach.
The ten-day medical brigade is open to anyone interested in making a difference and full training is provided prior to the trip.
Shane Houlihan
Image Credit: DCU Global Brigades
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