Providing basic medical equipment sets, or 'toolkits'.
Page Contents
Overview
This featured project involves providing basic medical equipment sets, or 'toolkits' to African health care workers in isolated regions.
We are committed to helping improve African neurological health by enhancing educational programs for neurologic caregivers. Toward this end, neurologists and clinical officers practicing in several rural regions including Zambia, Malawi, and Ethiopia have requested our assistance with acquiring basic neurological tools, which they are often unable to procure.
2008 Update
The very first World Neurology Foundation contribution of 52 Tool Kits to African neurology trainees was a success. While attending a teaching course co-sponsored by the EFNS, IBRO, and WFN in Dakar, Senegal in June, Trainees representing 15 different African countries received the equipment sets, each containing a reflex hammer, U-Fork, NINDS Stroke Scale, stethoscope, eye chart, scissors all contained in a sturdy belt bag with an embroidered WNFo logo.
During the awarding ceremony, Professor Pierre Ndiaye of Dakar recalled that it was with these very basic materials that great neurologists had described syndromes and signs which are the clinical basis of the Neurology; Babinski, Parkinson Alzheimer, Todd, Penfield, Charcot, Dejeurine, Sottas, Guillain, Barre, Brown, Sequard, Wallenberg, etc.
Each kit also included a laminated card acknowledging a Tool Kit 'sponsor'. Many sponsors have received emails directly from recipients of the kits, including these representative excerpts:
- "I'm Dr Tsila E., from Congo, one of the neurologists of Dakar who received the bag containing examination material provided by you and WNF.
I thank you a lot for this precious gift and I hope that we'll proceed with this collaboration between you through WNF, and us, African's physicians"
- "I am Dr. LEKOUBOU LOOTI Alain, a senior registrar in the service of Neurology of the Central Hospital Yaounde and in the Department of Internal Medicine and specialties. Dr. FONSAH and I have received the two neurology kits donated to us by through our supervisor Pr. Alfred KONGNYU NJAMNSHI. I want to sincerely thank you and assure you that these tools will serve not only the two of us but also the entire medical staff of the service of Neurology In Yaounde Central Hospital."
- "I would like to thank you very much for the gift of tool kit for neurological examination I have had from you. It will be very beneficial for me during my studies in Dakar and also when I will go back to BURUNDI, my country In my ambition to finish successfully my studies and to establish a suitable service of Neurology in Burundi"
- "My name is Dr Anselm DABILGOU.. I come from Burkina Faso and now I'm in Dakar to learn neurology at Fann Hospital. At Neurology conference in Dakar last 2 weeks, I had received a tool kit from world neurology foundation and I'm so happy. It is a great action for neurologist, particularly in Africa. I think that it will be the good beginning."
Picture Captions:
(Top) Dakar Trainees representing 15 different African countries with their WNFo Tool Kits
(Bottom) Trainees receiving kits from Dr. Raad Shakir, Secretary-Treasurer of the WFN, and Dr. Jacques DeReuck, President of the EFNS
(Bottom left) Mali
(Bottom right) Guinea (right)
The World Neurology Foundation would like to offer a sincere thank you to all of our Board and Advisory Council members who helped make this donation possible, with special thanks to our Dakar Tool Kit Sponsors:
Dr. Donna Bergen
The Association of Ontario Neurologists (4 Tool Kits)
Collier Neurological Specialists (4 Tool Kits)
Dr. Kamel Elzawahry (8 Kits)
The European Federation of Neurological Societies (6 Kits)
Dr. Michael Finkel (4 Tool Kits)
Dr. Concetta Forchetti
Dr. Patrick Griffith
Dr. Cynthia Joyce
Dr. Lily Jung
Dr. Richard LaFrance
Dr. Deborah Lee
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Dr. Johanan Levine
Dr. Kenneth Mar
Christopher Martin
Dr. Michele Mass
Mountainsmith, Inc.
Dr. Susan Naselli
Ms. Laura Antuono
NINDS:
Dr. Tarakad Ramachandran (8 Tool Kits)
Dr. Gustavo Roman
Dr. Diana Schneider
Dr. David Siegel
Dr. Jack Tsao
Dr. Michael Vickers
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Project Pictures
