Healthcare

P.Y.V.O provides placements for interested participants, especially in the rural areas where health conditions are very poor. On the other hand, P.Y.V.O organizes placements for interested health practitioners to work in childcare and maternity hospitals in Ghana.

Interested participants will work in collaboration with other professional local doctors and nurses. This projects demands volunteer’s level of knowledge, experience, and skill.

Participating in this project will help the volunteer to understand the health problems facing Ghana and Africa as whole.

Therefore, there are countless possibilities to impact lives; such as our work in local orphanages, schools, and hospitals.
Ghana’s health care and provision suffers as much as any other public service sector in the country. While structures are in place for an effective heath service, there is an enormous deficit in terms of staff and resources. This is why the volunteers’ help is very much appreciated by the nurses and doctors we do volunteer work with.

As a volunteer you will spend Fridays either doing a volunteer Kumasi market challenge (like a treasure hunt) or a group activity at one of our community outreach project. The other four days you will be very much involved in your medical placement, acquiring and sharing knowledge and skills and having the chance to build relationships.
Your medical background will determine your placement at the various public health centers or hospital. If you have no medical background at all, you will be shadowing and observing doctors in various departments.

Join us on this well deserving project and provide Medical assistance to under-resourced clinics; also assist in Home-Based care projects, for those who are too ill or are unable to travel to medical facilities. In the afternoons volunteers assist with a wide range of Community Upliftment Programs; such as building initiatives, adult literacy clubs, afterschool programs, and helping out in an Elder’s Home. We invite volunteers to join us in making our mark in our communities.

We are now offering this Medical and Community Upliftment Program as a Budget Volunteering experience to make it as affordable as possible for travelers looking to make a difference in underprivileged communities. Together with our passionate volunteers we are making a huge impact in the community on this well deserving project. Medical volunteers can expect the same level of experience as our regular volunteer programs.

MEDICAL PROJECTS:

The Medical Project consists of  the following main areas of work:

Clinic Assistance – Some clinics battle with serious shortages of staff and basic medical equipment.  The help of the volunteers is greatly appreciated by the nurses in the clinics. Volunteers act as assistants with tasks such as taking and recording vital signs of patients in the outpatients department and children’s clinic allows the staffs to quickly see and treat the vast numbers of people depending on the clinics for healthcare. Volunteers will check blood pressure, temperature, and weight of patients (baby weighing is particularly fun!) before they are screened by the Clinical Officer. The possibility of gaining experience and applying skills is available based on duration of volunteer period and approval of overseeing medical staff (i.e. training of immunizations and then ability to administer to patient). Qualified doctors may be able to assist with the screening of patients and surgery; the help of midwives is always appreciated by the nursing staff in the labor ward during delivery.  Please, let us know prior to arrival at your project if you have any specific medical skills and the project team will see how best these can be utilized within the local healthcare system.

Hospital Base – P.Y.V.O. works hand in hand with private and government based facilities. The hospitals offer opportunity to learn in a series of departments ranging in public health, surgery, maternity, pharmacy, eye, dental, and more. The amount of experience gained will be based on the volunteers willing to achieve it. If the medical staff feels that the volunteer is training and able to apply skills they may allow for the volunteer to participate in medical care. Most volunteer work will be observational, but the opportunities are vast! In surgery you may encounter amputation, abortion, myomectomies, mastectomy, hernia treatment, and more. Maternity offers the options of participating in antenatal screenings, education, counseling, deliveries, and more. Qualified medical personnel are encouraged to participate in any procedure they feel comfortable once they have had time to observe and discuss the medical care of Ghana. Please, let us know prior to arrival at your project if you have any specific medical skills and the project team will see how best these can be utilized.

Home Based Psychology Program (HBPP) – Our volunteers accompany medical staff from TAFO Hospital as they assist with those suffering from mental illness.  Most of these patients suffer from long-term and serious illnesses such as bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, addiction, etc.  It is the volunteer’s duty to provide basic advice, comfort, and assistance to members of the medical staff for the community with little to no access to clinics or hospitals. This may mean providing basic assistance in areas such as dispensing basic medication, assessment of patient, identifying needs, and chatting to patient/family about improvements within the home. Those with previous medical experience may be more comfortable providing advice, dispensing medications, and formulating care plans for these patients. However, the focus of HBPP is on support and basic advice, which can be provided without any prior medical experience.

*Please note that this can be a shocking experience, we visit some very deprived areas which can be quite upsetting, but volunteers almost always comment that HBPP is a valuable experience that offers a deeper insight into the lives of those suffering from mental illness. It provides a better understanding of Ghanaian society and local healthcare available.

Quick Facts
PLEASE NOTE 
This project requires a proof as health professional or medical student. Additional donation of $100 to the hospital.

VOLUNTEERS TYPICAL ACTIVITIES 

The project combines outreach work in local communities with one or two days per week spent in a local hospital or clinic. Work in the hospital or clinic will be shadowing and observing doctors in TAFO the psychology department for patient introduction and admissions. Work in MANHYIA will entail a wide variety of opportunities in several departments. During the outreach work you will be involved in more hands-on work, like dressing wounds, giving malaria tests, assisting in delivery medications, offering advice for family support, assisting in home improvement sources, or assisting in documentation and reports. Volunteers would be involved in health education presentation at TAFO or MANHYIA Hospital based on opportunity.

PROJECT LOCATIONS

The volunteers’ work could be at any placements for interested participants especially in the rural areas where the health conditions are very poor.

PROJECT START DATES
This healthcare project is continuing.

PROJECT DURATION
MINIMUM: 2 weeks   MAXIMUM: 6 months

ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
Typically volunteers are accommodated by a host family or within a volunteer home (based on availability).

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain medical experience under the supervision of qualified doctors and nurses. Please note this is only applicable to those due to study or currently studying medicine or qualified in a medical field suited to the Hospitals needs and requirements.
• Get a glimpse of life in the slums of Ghana and have the opportunity to make a difference in a poor and desperate community.
• Get a taste of the Ghanaian culture; learn a bit of Ghanaian Language (Twi).
• Make friends for life
• A great platform to experience some of the finest touring destinations on the continent

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• All airport transfers from Accra Airport upon your arrival
• Full board and lodging which includes 3 meals a day.
• Assistance in your projects by various P.Y.V.O staff and volunteer coordinators. Full support from P.Y.V.O and your coordinator throughout your time on your placement.
• Orientation, placement, assistance and adjustment, program and volunteer co-ordination/ staff support.
• Accommodation from the beginning to the end of program.

The project cost excludes

• Transportation
• Insurance for lost of luggage.
• Traveling on weekends to tourist attraction centers / entering fees      for any tourist place/ hotel accommodations
• Smoking /drinking and clubbing
• Air ticket
• Buying gifts/souvenirs for friends and family members back home.
• Flight, airport taxes, visa, immunizations, personal expenses, travel insurance, passports

DO I NEED EXPERIENCE

The volunteer does not need a substantial amount of experience to participate in such work. There is a request of some background in mental illness as the placement can be overwhelming at times. The experience will be gained while working in the community and support will be offered by P.Y.V.O and medical staff.

In your first days after arriving in Ghana you will be orientated to the area that you will be living in, as well as be shown the areas that you will be volunteering in. In the next few days, you will visit the project sites and be introduced to the relevant projects, key people and volunteer coordinators that you will be working closely with.

You will receive relevant information about common procedures, treatments, mental illness & terminal disease that you will probably come into contact with (i.e schizophrenia, HIV/Aids, Malaria, depression, bipolar, Diabetes, Fibroids, etc.)

Support: 

Throughout your stay at your placement you will have the support and guidance of experienced field-workers and coordinators. They are part of our greater regional support team, and will provide you with competent 24-hour field support and assistance.

AGE LIMIT
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on health of potential participant.