Medical Service Work in Rwanda 2018

Once again, I have the opportunity to travel to Kigali, Rwanda with The International Organization for Women and Development, Inc (IOWD) for a Medical Service Trip.  I will be working at Kibagabaga hospital in Kigali, Rwanda with a team of around 35 surgeons anesthsiologists, CRNAs, and nurses to help repair obstetric fistulas and perform other gynocological surgeries. I will be working mostly as an anesthesia technician helping the anesthesiologists and CRNAs prep patients, start lines, and set up monitoring equipment as well as helping the rest of the surgical team in a OR circulator capacity. I will also be helping the surgical team in pre-op and post-op (taking vitals, drawing labs, starting IVs) as well as doing some work with sterile processing for the surgical instruments and supplies.

IOWD performs fistula repair surgeries for the women of Rwanda three times a year. Fistulas are a complication of prolonged or obstructed labor. The tissue between the vagina and the bladder and/ or rectum is damaged and a hole forms. This caused the women to constantly leak urine and/ or feces which often results in them being ostracized by their families and communities. Fistula repair surgery not only corrects a medical problem but also allows women to rejoin wider society. A few years ago the Rwandan ministry of health asked IOWD to expand their care and now pediatric surgeons and anesthesiologists, as well as gynecological cancer specialists, are also traveling with the team to work and give lectures and training to local doctors.

I need your help to cover the cost of airfare and accommodations in Rwanda. If I raise more than needed for these purposes the additional funds will be donated to IOWD to buy supplies to fill the gaps in what is donated (for example,  we need sterile gloves and sutures certain sizes, antibiotics, ect.)

Thank you in advance!

http://www.iowd.org/