African pace project
In some countries, there are no professionals able to perform pacemaker implants, which must therefore be performed abroad.
In Tchad there are only 6 cardiologists for a population of over 11 million inhabitants and none of these have specific expertise in interventional cardiology, much less electrophysiology.
Those who need a pacemaker in Tchad are forced to go to distant countries to be treated, such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa, but this has a cost that only few people in the very poor Tchad can afford.
This is why DonK HM has developed the “African Pace Project”, created in collaboration with the La Reinassance Hospital in N’Djamena, the Faculty of Medicine of Tchad and the patronage, among others, of the University of Geneva.
Our project is divided into a phase of activity in Africa and a phase of telemedicine / consultations / distance training from Europe.
Activities in Africa
We propose with it to periodically send a medical-nursing team expert in electrostimulation to the La Reinassance Hospital in the capital N’Djamena.
The hospital (public and privately run) does not have staff trained to perform pacemaker implants but has the necessary equipment and an operating room where the operations can be performed.
The missions will last from three to seven days and will be aimed at the implantation if devices on local patients, who otherwise would have no other opportunity to access these therapies. At the same time, the team will take care of training the local nursing and medical staff, through activities in the room and with theoretical lessons in small groups.
The training of local staff is essential for the sustainability of the project.
Remote activity
In the periods between the various missions, volunteer doctors and nurses will be engaged in telemedicine consultations and in continuous remote training for African health personnel.
Future perspectives
Tchad is only the first country from which the African PACE Project will start, but we are confident of exporting the project to other African countries as well. In this sense, we have already undertaken advanced contact with some African Cardiology Societies and with hospitals and universities in Congo, Burkina Faso and southern Africa.
How can you help us:
- You can leave as a medical volunteer or nurse in our mission
- You can make yourself available for Telemedicine consultations and teaching via the internet for the training of local teams
- You can help us by making a donation to support the project
- You can donate useful medical supplies for our mission.
Write us at segreteria@donkhm.org
Go to the page HOW TO HELP US >>