WEST AFRICA FISTULA FOUNDATION
UPDATE – OCTOBER 2008
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We are very pleased to report on our last trip to Sierra Leone the addition of more medical services to the people of Sierra Leone. In addition to the Fistula project we feel the need to address the deplorable situation of Maternal Mortality and Infant Mortality in Sierra Leone. Earlier this year we have moved our program up country and more inland to be closer to the problems we encounter. Our efficiency will be improved by this move and have embarked on a long term plan to help not only the medical needs of Sierra Leone but become a referral center for all of West Africa. We are extremely fortunate to have heading up the Medical Arm of the new project Dr. Philip A. Koroma the ONLY Ob-Gyn in the entire Provinces of Sierra Leone. We have collaborated with the Bo Government Hospital. Our ultimate goal is to establish a Medical Center that will provide comprehensive medical care in all medical specialties and provide a teaching environment for Sierra Leonean medical students, resident physicians, nursing students, lab technicians and other medical services. With this process we are hopeful that the final result will have provided Capacity Building and Sustainability.
West Africa Fistula Foundation will continue to focus on the Obstetrical Fistula patients and have embarked on a project to provide a Full Time facility for these patients that have been shunned and have no place to live. We will not turn any patient away and will provide Skills training along with Educational opportunities in order to help these women get back on their feet and hopefully be reintegrated back into society. Our most recent trip this last month we performed several VVF, RVF and Gynecological surgeries.
The Maternal and Infant Mortality in Sierra Leone is the highest in the World and we have plans to provide free care to any lady that requires Cesarean Sections and other services. By providing these services we will be serving a two fold purpose in that the Prevention of the Obstetrical Fistula will be accomplished and hopefully the Obstetrical Fistula will be a thing of the Past in Sierra Leone. We have Family Physicians and Obstetricians from the States that are collaborating with us at this time to facilitate this project and will be on the ground in the near future.
We asked that each and every one of you try to get involved in this worthy cause. Our goal is to get as many people as possible donating 10-20 dollars a month for these unfortunate people. If we could get you to send this email to at least 5 other people this would get us down the road in accomplishing our goals. As I have told you many times in the past all of the volunteers pay their own expenses including their airfare and accommodations. We have absolutely NO ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS taken from the donations you send. We very much appreciate your continued support and encouragement.
Be sure and look at our Website www.westafricafistulafoundation.org which is being updated on a regular basis.
If you have any questions feel free to email, write or call us.
Sincerely,
Darius R. Maggi M.D.
3621 Pottsboro Road #150 Denison, Texas 75020 903-463-9400 office 903-819-7250 cell