Yaws is an infectious tropical disease that affects skin, bone, and cartilage. Its primary victims are children under 15 and it can lead to chronic disability.

Consulting with local health care workers, the medical team determined that what they were seeing was indeed Yaws.  Their Ghanaian colleagues hadn’t seen any cases of Yaws for over 20 years, and the discovery caused real concern that this contagious infection might be returning.  Team members began treating patients for this condition.

The medical team members also carefully documented 81 cases of suspected Yaws, which David and Brenda Mensah then submitted to the Regional Director of Health Services.  In a meeting with the Director, the Mensahs learned that health officials are concerned about a resurgence of Yaws in the country.

Although treatment is a relatively straightforward and cost-effective injection of Penicillin, it can be difficult for Ministry of Health personnel to locate patients afflicted with Yaws in order to give them the necessary treatment.

The Ministry of Health is thankful for the contribution that NEA and the medical team have made by sharing important information about the incidence of Yaws in the Deg region.  They also expressed deep appreciation for the team’s treatment of afflicted patients in the Deg Region.

Successful surgery made this man feel young again

In their recent mission in Ghana, members of the 2009 medical team were blessed by  a man who calculates himself to be 120 years old.

The surgeons with Operation Hernia, who were once again a part of the medical team, had completed a successful hernia repair on this gentleman. The elderly man was very emotional when he addressed the team, explaining how he wished he could give them something to express his gratitude for the team for coming to help him.  The hernia had caused him great suffering and now he was pain free and felt like a young man again!

He went on to say that the only thanks he had to offer was to ask that the Most High, Almighty God would bless the team members and their children with every possible blessing, and that he considered them all to be adopted members of his family from that day forward.

For more stories from the medical team’s two weeks in Ghana, you can download our latest newsletter [PDF].

The team is only a few hours away from their last day of clinic and they are beginning to feel the effects of working incredibly long hours.

Jennifer reports that the the Bamboi clinic on Monday was huge: the medical/dental people saw six hundred people and the vitamin station saw just as many. The village of Bamboi is larger than the others that they visited and the clinic seemed to be more taxing on the team members.

On Tuesday the team ran a clinic in Carpenter and saw over 550 people at a more relaxed pace. They are still surprised with the sickness and disease that many people have accepted as normal for their lives.

The optometry team has been running the eye-glass stations on the second day in each village. As patients were examined by the medical team and identified with sight problems they were told to go to the eye-glass station the next day. On day two, Marion Hurlburt and May Tracey would set up in an area and begin seeing the referrals. As soon as people saw others coming out with glasses on there would a rush to the eye-glass station. The team has handed out all of the glasses that were taken and this has been major contribution to the mission this year.

The team plans to conduct their final clinic in Carpenter on Wednesday and then take Thursday to debrief and organize for their return on Friday. Please remember to pray for the team’s health and energy.

The medical team in Carpenter reports that they have been able to see record amounts of patients because the clinics are running so well. The team members are all working hard and are able to maintain the pace.

Here are some highlights from their experiences:

On Thursday in Yaara a three-year-old boy was brought to the clinic. He was very sick with pneumonia and they weren’t sure if they could help him or not. Joan Maguire, an IV specialist, was able to get him started with IV fluids. They were hoping to send him to a hospital but some of the translators and local medical personnel said that he would probably die in the hospital. So the team took him back to Carpenter with them and the nurses took shifts monitoring; Joan had to reinsert the IV several times. As of Sunday he was doing a lot better and they are planning for his return to Yaara.

Apparently this little boy is David Mensah’s nephew. Peter, the boy’s father and David’s brother, was in Carpenter for hernia surgery while this was taking place. At the church service on Sunday, Peter addressed the congregation and said that while he knew that the team was coming again this year, he didn’t realize that they would be coming just for his family. It was a beautiful time for everyone.

One of the area pastors, George crashed his motorcycle on his way to the church service on Sunday and was hurt badly. He did have a helmet on, but it was not done up so it did its job then flew off. Most of the damage was serious lacerations to his leg. One of the hernia surgeons actually specializes in vascular surgery and was able to stitch the wounds, including tendons, in Carpenter. The local medical people doubted George would have been able to receive comparable care in Accra.

The team had a good weekend, even fitting in some games and visits on Saturday evening. They are all looking forward to their remaining clinics before their return to Canada on Friday.

The medical team is doing a lot of work and the sense of teamwork is great. The bus ride home is quite noisy with laughter and singing … even after working hard all day in the heat!

The medical team wrapped up their second day in Nyamboi yesterday.  They were able to see everyone who came and didn’t need to turn anyone away. While they were Nyamboi, a young boy collapsed, unconscious with severe malaria.  After a few hours with IV fluids and antimalarials he was well enough to go home.

The dental team is very busy, often pulling multiple teeth per patient.  When they finished in Nyamboi they were honoured with a ceremony where they were presented with vegetables and their first ram of the trip.

Today in Yaara the medical team saw many untreated ailments. The area is so remote that most people just live with their sickness. The team had a whole tent full of patients to see the surgeon to get on the hernia list for 2010!

The surgical team is making great progress and is repairing around 30 hernias each day. Some patients have two hernias so this really represents about 20 patients per day.

Unfortunately some team members are dealing with travel-related sickness.  Four team members had to stay back yesterday and one today.  The four who were sick yesterday were back at work today, so the bug is unpleasant but brief. Please remember the health of the team members in your prayers.

Yesterday the medical team held what was to be a small NEA staff clinic.  The clinic ran until after dark last night and they saw over 300 people.

Laila Bishara diagnosed six people with diabetes. Laila is off to Wenchi today to run a diabetic clinic, where she will be very busy.

The hernia team completed several surgeries yesterday and was already operating when the medical/dental team left for Nyamboi.  The teams are all working very well together.

Please pray that the team members can quickly get used to the heat and maintain their strength.

Their voyage from Toronto to Carpenter went smoothly. Despite having ninety-five bags of medical supplies, each weighing 50 lbs, their check-in at the airport was well-organized and fast. The members reported that once airport security had confirmed that the contents of their luggage matched the description they provided, they were allowed to pass through very quickly. In fact, much of their time with security was spent in sharing their perspectives on the H1N1 virus.

The team is ready to begin work in Carpenter and the surrounding areas today. They are working with an Operation Hernia team from the UK, and already the teams are coordinating very well together.

As the doctors find time and access to technology to send updates, they will be posted here, so check back often.

Please continue to pray for the medical team and supporting staff, particularly for:

• health for the medical team members
• stamina for the medical team and the NEA staff supporting them, as these two weeks are busy and physically exhausting
• strength and health for the patients whom they serve, that their recoveries are quick and uncomplicated
• that residents of the communities in Northern Ghana might know the love of God as a result of this practical service

This is an exciting and busy time for everyone — we would appreciate your prayers for safety, stamina, and health.  Stay tuned for more updates.