Medical Mission to Ozu, Nigeria
Butte College's Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society and the Butte College Engineering Club are designing a medical waste disposal program for the Kristina Chesterman Memorial Clinic in Ozu, Nigeria. We are fundraising to send one student, Alex Volzer, to Nigeria this December to build and install the medical waste incinerator and educate the clinic staff on its use.
The Kristina Chesterman Memorial Clinic has been built by the generous funds and labor of the friends and family of Kristina Chesterman, a Chico State Nursing student who was killed by a drunk driver when on her bicycle in 2013. (for more information about Kristina Chesterman: http://www.kristinachestermanclinic.org/ )
Ozu is a small, rural town of 10,000 people and is the primary medical clinic within several days walk. Due to its high volume for a rural clinic, medical waste (syringes, medications, bandages, surgically removed body parts, etc) is put in a pit and burned. This creates toxic fumes and pollution, a public health hazard for not only the medical clinic personnel but also the entire community. The World Health Organization sees the proper disposal of medical waste as a critical health issue worldwide. Our group is looking to build this program to be a sustainable and integrated part of the community that is sensitive to local culture and needs.
In addition to work on the medical waste disposal program, Alex will be providing massage therapy to the patients and training the nursing staff in therapeutic/medical massage. Alex has been practicing therapeutic massage since 2011, specializing in injuries, surgical recovery, and mental health support. Massage can be a powerful tool for pain relief and injury management and over 50% of the patients visiting the sister clinic (Upon this Rock Medical Center) to the Kristina Chesterman Clinic have significant muscolo-skeletal complaints. Since massage therapists so rarely do medical mission work there is little that visiting doctors and nurses can do short of providing pharmaceuticals, which are in limited supply in developing nations.
The long term goals for visiting the Kristina Chesterman Clinic include developing a closer relationship between Butte College and Ozu, Nigeria. The need for "human capital", ie: volunteers, is critical for the success of this clinic. There are many opportunities for nursing and pre-med students at Butte College, as well as other majors like Ag, to volunteer or intern at the clinic and surrounding farmland in the future. During spring semester, Alex will be working with a group of students to start an "Ozu Club" for students and faculty to learn about Nigeria and facilitate opportunities to go abroad.
The funds raised will be used for travel costs for Alex.
$2000 for airfare
$500 for travel, lodging, food, etc within Nigeria
$250 for visas
$450 for vaccinations
Total: $3,200
The travel dates are from Dec. 28-Jan 14.
Phi Theta Kappa and the Butte College Engineering Club are very excited about this project, especially since it already has such strong ties to Chico.
Your donations are greatly appreciated and we promise to bring back lots of pictures and stories! If you are interested in getting involved with the Kristina Chesterman Clinic here in the states or in Nigeria, please let us know! THANK YOU!
