Mayo University Hospital staff prepare for fundraiser 'to save lives'
File photo of nursing staff on a hospital ward. Issue date: Friday November 24, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story HEALTH Nurses. Photo credit Peter Byrne/PA Wire
Big hearted staff from Mayo University Hospital are raising funds to build a Trauma Care Facility to save the lives of road traffic accident victims in Kenya.
The hospital has a long association with Londiani Sub County Hospital in Kenya with a mutual exchange of skills and knowledge and many staff from MUH travelling over to Kenya on a regular basis.
Dr Bridget Hughes, an Orthopedic Surgeon at MUH has recently returned from Kenya and is helping her colleagues spearhead a campaign to raise €20,000 for the provision of a trauma facility.
The strain on hospital staff to treat patients is compounded by limited training, lack of trauma systems and a dedicated space in the hospital.
The MUH team is completing a 5K next Tuesday, November 28 to raise the funds.
Working in conjunction with Brighter Communities Worldwide, an Irish NGO that works in partnership with the Ministry of Health and local communities on the ground in Londiani, the volunteers from the MUH say there is an urgent need for the development of further resources, given the spike in road traffic accidents in Londiani.
Dr Hughes said there is a new highway linking Londiani with Nairobi and while it is very welcome and greatly helps connectivity, sadly road traffic accidents have jumped considerably”.
“Trauma is now becoming the leading cause of death, particularly amongst young men which is common all over the world," she said.
“The community is still reeling from the horror road crash in Londiani in July when a lorry carrying a shipping container lost control and crashed, wiping out several other vehicles, many roadside stalls and people waiting to make their way home and scores of people sadly died with hundreds more injured."
Dr Hughes said this awful tragedy has really concentrated the mind of the people on the ground as once accident victims come into the hospital, many of them have to be treated on the ground.
"There is simply no room and the basic facilities are not there," she said. “The basic trauma care that happens following an accident is absolutely crucial, I can’t overstate this."
Dr Hughes explained this window determines whether the person survives.
"The administration of oxygen ,blood, IV access and transfusion fluids are the really important and that is when the surgeons can manage the patient.
"They have the capabilities but not the facilities," she added.
Dr Hughes said Brighter Communities Worldwide really make money work and make it stretch so nothing is wasted.
"It is always so encouraging and uplifting when I go back to see the progress that has been made at Londiani Sub Country Hospital and this is sustainability in action," she said. “The people of Mayo have been loyal supporters and I would ask them to support our endeavors next Tuesday as the money donated will go so much further with the involvement of Global Giving” Dr Hughes said every cent will make a big difference.
People who want to make donations can do so by logging onto to the project on GlobalGiving at https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/trauma-resuscitation-room-for-hospital-in-kenya/
