Picture this: I’m seeing a stream of people suffering from malaria, typhoid fever, deep bone infections, stroke, skin cancer, and then… “Doctor, I can’t sleep, I hear voices constantly, my entire body is burning, my brain is splitting open, and people want to kill me.” The spectrum and burden of mental illness in poorer […]
“Happy are the poor in spirit, the gentle, the merciful, the peacemakers” – This is the message today from Matthew chapter five, delivered by Pastor Moses in the village next to our hospital. Here amid very crowded, humble, and cold conditions reside families of patients who’ve come for treatment, as well as those who
What’s the importance of dental care? This child arrived at Lubango Evangelica Medical Center, in Angola of southern Africa, with an abscess draining from under his chin, and with infection racing down his neck and into the chest. The source of his infection? A tooth abscess. The risks of his infection? Loss of his
This 7-year old fell one month ago, injuring her left leg. Mother brought her today to the Lubango Evangelical Medical Center, where I found the girl draining copious pus from several tracts just below her knee. Can you guess her diagnosis? Take a look at the X-ray: She fractured the tibia,
Key provisions of the federal government’s health insurance mandates were postponed last week. Nevertheless, amid frustrating electronic health records, flat salaries, declining reimbursements, and the ever-present threat of litigation, healthcare personnel persistently ponder, “Maybe it’s time that I pursue the career I once dreamed of…” What is your dream career? Many wax poetic
Ethiopia? East Saint Louis? El Salvador? Compassionate healthcare persons are prone to bold moves on behalf of marginalized people wherever they are located. This movement is accentuated by professionals who inspire us all toward similar service. The winners of the 2013 INMED Awards, just announced at the Exploring Medical Missions Conference, are exemplary models.
High in the mountains of Asia, Fatima’s chest heaved as she gasped for air. Was the cause pneumonia? Pulmonary embolism? Heart failure? James Fyffe, an American RN, scrambled to clarify her diagnosis. Simple labs and a chest X-ray provided little clarity. No CAT scan or blood gas analysis available out there. James provided her
The INMED Exploring Medical Missions Conference will present you the chance to test your skills to the extreme. This event will include Tropical Medicine Rounds: A simulation of patient care in a resource-poor hospital with scenarios like the following three case study questions. Would you be able to pass an examination on these cases?
Iran is “an island of stability in one of the more troubled areas of the world,” said President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Yet in 1979 Iran broiled over into a bitter revolution that killed over a million citizens. It also provoked the capture of 52 American hostages held at the United States embassy for 444
Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western World despite being just a one-hour flight away from Florida. Thousands of American healthcare personnel venture to volunteer in Haiti each year. Should YOU be one of them? Let’s explore your questions with Jim and Sandy Wilkins of Haiti Health Ministries… Q: “Can I give