Our club executive approved a $500 contribution to this US$100,500 project to supply blood fridges & medical equipment in the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana. (Brong-Ahafo is in south Ghana west of Lake Volta; it surrounds the towns of Sunyani and Techiman.) Bev Hilton & the Oceanside Rotary Club will administer the project.
How did this project come to be?
There is a 10-year history behind this project:
The evolution of the Rotary World Community Service Mid-Island Group since 2007 has brought us to the point of being able to jointly plan, develop and implement a major project of this type. The leveraged funding and sharing of expertise of MIG will allow us to make larger contributions and more significant impacts on our world communities.
Vancouver Island Rotarians have been doing projects (basic education and literacy, water and sanitation, economic and community development, disease prevention and treatment, maternal and child health, etc.) in this area in Ghana since 2007 when PG Ross White led a literacy and water project. We have had six Rotary Missions to Ghana to work on some of these projects and have hosted 3 Ghanaian Rotary missions to Canada. As well the Regional District of Nanaimo (2004-2005) and Vancouver Island University (2006-present) have been involved in various projects in the region. Ken Hammer (Nanaimo Daybreak) and Bev Hilton (Oceanside) will be conducting a mission to Ghana next month; Susan Mielke (Qualicum Beach) will participate.
This particular project “Blood Fridges & Medical Equipment” was initiated in April of 2012 by PP Dr. Kwasi Dei-Anane when he developed a proposal for six blood fridges (available on request). Last year AG Bev Hilton was able to pilot the blood fridge project with the purchase and installation of two blood fridges (proposal available on request).
What is this project all about?
To replace old, outdated, under capacity blood fridges as well as provide other medical equipment to 7 hospitals in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Communities and populations:
Goaso – 142,900; Wenchi – 100,500; Yeji – 35,000; Berekum – 138,800; Hwidiem 54,000; Kwame Danso 65,000; Kintampo -109,000
Each hospital has provided a proposal for resources and is available on request.
What is the rationale behind this project?
The supply of higher capacity blood fridges as well as other medical equipment will solve the challenges of limited space to store blood when the institution embarks on a blood donation exercise and relatives are unable to supply blood immediately.
Most pregnant women who deliver in the hospital need some blood to save the life of the mother and baby. It always causes delay when the hospital has to rely on relatives to come to donate before clients are attended to. In cases of emergencies and excessive loss of blood during surgical operations (CS), Medical Doctors have to rely on blood in the blood bank to save lives other than suspending surgery to search for blood from relatives. Many children are born premature and others anemic and would require immediate transfusion of blood from the blood bank to reduce mortality in children.
How will we measure the success of this project?
The success of the “Blood Fridges & Medical Equipment” will be the reduction of maternal and child mortality. Each community medical facility tracks these numbers so we will be able to monitor the impact of the blood fridges and medical equipment.
How will this project be sustained?
The supplier will deliver, setup and train the local staff. Trained technicians and hospital staff will operate and maintain the equipment and in turn train others to carry on their jobs when needed. Local and Vancouver Island Rotarians will also monitor the project over the next several years.
What is the project budget (American Funds)?
Investment in equipment $100,500
Revenue $100,500
Nanaimo Oceanside $1,500 (A)
Nanaimo $1,500 (A)
MIG $2,500 (A)
Other MIG clubs $9,500 (2 @ $1,000; 10 @ $500; 10 @ $250) (A)
Sunyani Rotary Clubs $1,000 (A+)
DDF $15,000 (B) District Designated Funds matches 1:1 for A
GOC $31,000 (C) Government of Canada matches 1:1 for A & B
World Funds $23,500 (D) Matches 1:2 for A & C
World Funds $15,000 (E)
5% administrative fee on A will be covered by local host Rotary Clubs
What is the project timeline?
October-November, 2017 – Development of the team project proposal
November, 2017 – MIG agreement in principle to this Team Project
December, 2017 – February, 2017 – Presenting MIG Team Project to all 24 clubs
March, 2017 – May, 2017 – Completing MIG Team Project funding application
April, 2017 – Canada Rotary Mission to Ghana to visit sites and meet with partners
May, 2017 – Submission of global grant to district and GOC
June, 2017 – September, 2017 – Funding received
September, 2017 – December, 2017 – Project implemented
