Global Medical Brigades - Rexburg Idaho Chapter

Global Medical Brigades - Rexburg Idaho Chapter Global Brigades is an international non-profit that implements a unique holistic model to meet a community’s health and economic goals.

This chapter, located in Rexburg Idaho, is dedicated to helping underprivileged communities through medicine.

Yesterday, our volunteers finished their virtual brigade! It was a great experience, and we're looking forward to the ne...
03/12/2022

Yesterday, our volunteers finished their virtual brigade! It was a great experience, and we're looking forward to the next one. A lot of patients were able to receive care throughout the brigade. As volunteers, we also learned a lot about the culture of Ghana, and about how we can better assist them in their progression toward better health. One the last day, some of the locals taught us a traditional Ghanaian dance over zoom.

Over the last two days, our volunteers finished their second clinic day, and reviewed what they learned! We discussed so...
03/10/2022

Over the last two days, our volunteers finished their second clinic day, and reviewed what they learned! We discussed social determinants of health, which are factors that influence the health of people in a community. During the clinic days, patients from the community of Nanabin visited the clinic, where the medical staff performed assessments and provided care. The volunteers were able to observe some of these interactions, and also had opportunities to ask the healthcare providers in Nanabin questions about their community and about medical science.

Yesterday, our volunteers participated in their first clinic day! We were able to observe some of the day-to-day operati...
03/07/2022

Yesterday, our volunteers participated in their first clinic day! We were able to observe some of the day-to-day operations of the Global Brigades funded clinic in Nanabin. There, patients are able to receive care from teams of nurses, physicians, and pharmacists.

Yesterday our volunteers had the opportunity to meet some of the nurses for the Nanabin community. They provide healthc...
03/05/2022

Yesterday our volunteers had the opportunity to meet some of the nurses for the Nanabin community. They provide healthcare to the people both in the clinic and through home visits, and their efforts contribute greatly to the health and wellbeing of the people of that community.

Yesterday our volunteers had the opportunity to learn about the fascinating culture and history of Ghana. There was a fo...
03/04/2022

Yesterday our volunteers had the opportunity to learn about the fascinating culture and history of Ghana. There was a focus on health insurance programs and the efforts that Ghana is making to achieve broader healthcare coverage. We also learned a little bit of Fante, a local language.

Yesterday we had the first day of our telebrigade! We learned more about the mission of Global Brigades, and how we can ...
03/03/2022

Yesterday we had the first day of our telebrigade! We learned more about the mission of Global Brigades, and how we can use the holistic model to empower communities and to break the cycle of poverty.

Over the past few days, our volunteers concluded their telebrigade conducted in Ayeldu, Ghana. The Medical Clinic was a ...
05/28/2021

Over the past few days, our volunteers concluded their telebrigade conducted in Ayeldu, Ghana. The Medical Clinic was a major success on all fronts - providing education to the community, treating over 75 patients facing chronic and acute disorders, providing free pharmaceuticals, helping community members access the National Health Insurance Scheme, and promoting sustainability of the healthcare structure in Ayeldu. Our volunteers recapped their clinic days with one of the volunteer doctors in Ghana and conducted a Monitoring and Evaluation of the community as well. The patient data collected from the hosted clinic was recorded in a secure database, which will be accessible to the community health nurses and doctors, so future follow-up and care can be given to those who need it. This morning was bitter-sweet, as our volunteers parted ways with those they grew close with in Ghana, and celebrated their success by learning a traditional Ghanian dance taught to them by community members. For more information on our cause, please visit https://fundraise.globalbrigades.org/empowered/chapter/rexburg-area-medical-brigades/brigade/rexburg-area-medical-telebrigade-may-2021-ghana
for more information or message us directly.

Yesterday and today our volunteers had the opportunity to participate in our two rural clinic days. With the funds that...
05/24/2021

Yesterday and today our volunteers had the opportunity to participate in our two rural clinic days. With the funds that our volunteers have worked to raise over the past few months, Global Brigades was able to facilitate and supply the medical clinic in the Ayeldu community of Ghana with supplies and pharmaceuticals. Doctors and community health workers (triage nurses, pharmacists, and midwives) volunteered their time to help provide the clinic with the necessary professionals that the community members would need in receiving aid. The rural health clinic consists of 4 main stations: an educational workshop, triage station, consultation rooms, and a pharmacy. The regular flow of the clinic would include community members entering the facility, watching a short presentation created by our volunteers in Rexburg on preventative and sustainable health measures that they can implement into their own lives. After the educational station, patients then receive basic examinations and have their vitals taken, and are triaged according to their health needs. Each patient then has the opportunity to meet with one of the clinic doctors in order to have their conditions/illnesses fully examined. After a diagnosis is given to the patient or a referral to a larger health facility/lab is made, patients are then able to receive any medications prescribed to them from the pharmacist at the clinic. Our volunteers were able to view and interact with each station in real time via video calling, including the triaging, patient consultations and pharmacy. Those patients that received medications or were referred to a diagnostic lab or regional/tertiary hospital are then able to receive further follow up care through their National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) subscriptions if they are enrolled. Global Brigades promotes sustainability in each community not only by allowing local doctors and nurses to provide care and education, but also through encouraging the community members to enroll in the NHIS, a system that has been successfully implemented in Ghana for over 15 years. This helps the 53% of those in Ghana not enrolled, develop trust in modern medicine and the ability to access healthcare without out-of-pocket payments. In essence, rather than trying to establish a new system in these rural communities, our goal is to encourage participation in the healthcare system already established in Ghana to promote true and healthy sustainability. Unfortunately, due to HIPPA policies, there are no images to share from our clinic days other than our title slides!

Yesterday was day 4 of our 9-day Telebrigade in the Ayeldu community of Ghana. In preparation for the opening of the cli...
05/22/2021

Yesterday was day 4 of our 9-day Telebrigade in the Ayeldu community of Ghana. In preparation for the opening of the clinic, we focused on how to conduct efficient and purposeful patient consultations, discussed the common illnesses that the community faces, and discussed the common medications that are used to treat these illnesses. In Ayeldu, the field of medicine is a mixture of traditional health practices and modern health technology. "In rural communities in Ghana, a common practice is the utilization of herbs and plants as a form of natural medicine. The use of common herbs and plants for nutritional or medicinal purposes is typical in communities with lower access to over-the-counter or prescription medications." We learned about how healers in the community promote well-being and health through traditional practices, and how modern medicine has been introduced as well. As an example of a common illness that is treated by way of the rural medical clinic, roughly 60% of all patients arrive with the presentation of some form of malaria. This provides Global Brigades and the doctors and nurses who have volunteered the opportunity to provide a course of treatment including medications to help those afflicted. Other common illnesses and chronic diseases in Ayeldu are Rhinitis, Arthritis, Anemia, Chronic Pain, and Viral/Bacterial infections from the local river water. Aided by Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme and the community volunteers, these patients are introduced to courses of treatments and preventative measures that help promote a healthy lifestyle.

Yesterday, our volunteers completed day 3 of their medical Telebrigade taking place in the Ayeldu community in the AAK D...
05/22/2021

Yesterday, our volunteers completed day 3 of their medical Telebrigade taking place in the Ayeldu community in the AAK District of Ghana. We had the opportunity to learn from community health nurses that work for the government of Ghana and are supported by Global Brigades. The community health nurses are responsible for a wide variety of tasks, including educating their respective communities on preventative health measures, teaching basic forms of treatment, caring for the sick, and providing necessary follow-up after courses of treatments/recoveries have been made. Not only do these great nurses help during the rural clinic that is open at various times throughout the year (such as tomorrow and Sunday), but are constantly visiting community members and patients in their own homes to ensure that they are staying as healthy as possible. "By educating local community volunteers, we are also promoting community leadership and empowerment, which has proven to be beneficial in the communities." Sustainability in these communities is only made possible by the hard work of these amazing nurses who work around the clock for the betterment of those around them.

Yesterday our volunteers completed day 2 of our 9 day telebrigade. Yesterday's session was focused on "Awareness, Orient...
05/21/2021

Yesterday our volunteers completed day 2 of our 9 day telebrigade. Yesterday's session was focused on "Awareness, Orientation, and Cultural Context" in preparation for our volunteers' involvement in our rural clinic days this Saturday and Sunday. We were given the opportunity to learn from our telebrigades coordinators as well as our brigade doctor in Ghana, Africa. Volunteers learned many things such as: a glance at Ghana's amazing culture, the framework of the health system established in Ghana, the role that Global Brigades plays in providing sustainable forms of healthcare to communities, and the importance of Ghana's National Health Insurance scheme that enables financial access to a wide variety of underprivileged people. We are excited to see the long-lasting impact that a small group of volunteers combined with the efforts of the Ayeldu community will have!

Yesterday, our group of volunteers completed day 1 of our 9 day telebrigade! Our volunteers learned about Global Brigad...
05/19/2021

Yesterday, our group of volunteers completed day 1 of our 9 day telebrigade! Our volunteers learned about Global Brigade's Holistic Model: a system that builds community ownership and collaboratively executes programs with the end goal of sustainably evolving to a relationship of impact monitoring. The Global Brigades team in Ghana also shared with us the medical goals that they have for small communities and how each community is carefully selected for specific implementation of the holistic model.

Yesterday's learning was a perfect reflection of our mission: "To empower volunteers and under-resourced communities to resolve global health and economic disparities and inspire all involved to collaboratively work towards an equal world."

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Rexburg, ID
83440

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