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Open Access

Health Volunteers Overseas: A Model for Ethical and Effective Short-Term Global Health Training in Low-Resource Countries

Elizabeth MacNairn
Global Health: Science and Practice September 2019, 7(3):344-354; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-19-00140
Elizabeth MacNairn
aHealth Volunteers Overseas, Washington, DC, USA.
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  • For correspondence: b.macnairn@hvousa.org
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    A volunteer provides training in hand surgery at Health Volunteers Overseas' project in Kampala, Uganda. © 2018/Health Volunteers Overseas

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    Clinicians learn to suture at Health Volunteers Overseas' emergency medicine project in Thimphu, Bhutan. © 2018/Health Volunteers Overseas

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    TABLE 1.

    Health Volunteers Overseas: 2018 in Numbers

    Number
    Volunteers411a
    Volunteer assignments449
    Volunteers who completed 2 or more assignments (January 1 to December 31, 2018)38
    Projects101
    Volunteer days served7,169
    Local health professionals who received training and mentorship≥3,000
    Clinical areas18
    Countries23
    Volunteer leaders228
    Collaborating institutions90
    • ↵a 40% had previously volunteered with HVO.

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    TABLE 2.

    Health Volunteers Overseas' Clinical Training Areas and Current Project Sites (2018)

    Clinical AreaCurrent Project Sites
    Anesthesia (MD and nurse anesthesia)Bhutan, Cambodia (Kampot, Siem Reap), Ghana (Kumasi, Tamale), Laos, Malawi, Rwanda, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Hue)
    DermatologyCambodia, Costa Rica, Nepal, Uganda, Vietnam
    Hand surgeryGhana, Honduras, Nicaraguaa
    Hand therapyGhana, Nicaraguaa
    HematologyCambodia, Peru, Tanzania, Uganda
    Internal medicineBhutan, Cambodia (Kampot, Phnom Penh), Costa Rica, Guyana, India, Nepal, Uganda (Kabale, Kampala, Mbarara)
    Nursing educationCambodia (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap), Laos, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam (Hai Duong, Hue)
    Obstetrics and gynecologyCambodia, Haiti, Uganda, Vietnam
    OncologyBhutan, Honduras, Nepal (Bhaktapur, Kathmandu), Uganda, Vietnam
    Oral healthHaiti, Laos, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania
    OrthopedicsBhutan (Mongar, Thimphu), China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Myanmar, Nicaragua,a Philippines, St. Lucia, Tanzania, Uganda
    PediatricsBhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Nicaraguaa, St. Lucia, Uganda (Kampala, Kabale)
    Physical therapyBhutan, India, Malawi, Rwanda, St. Lucia, Vietnam (Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy, Da Nang Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital)
    Wound and lymphedemaCambodia (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap), Haiti, India
    Other project areasEmergency medicine: Bhutan, Cambodia
    Mental health: Bhutan
    Residency training: Bhutan
    Pharmacy: Uganda
    • ↵a Nicaragua activities suspended due to political unrest.

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    TABLE 3.

    Observations of On-Site Coordinators on General Areas of Improvement as a Result of Health Volunteers Overseas' Activities, 2018 Survey (N=65)a

    Observations% of On-Site Coordinators
    Improvements in staff skills91
    Improvements in staff attitudes88
    Increased efficiency of care86
    New techniques introduced and utilized85
    Improvements in patient outcomes84
    Improvements in patient safety82
    • ↵a 73% response rate.

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    TABLE 4.

    Observations of On-Site Coordinators on Improvements Due to Health Volunteers Overseas Training, 2018 Survey

    CountryClinical SpecialtyObserved Improvement/Accomplishment
    BhutanNursing/oncologyDevelopment and implementation of nursing chemotherapy assessment form that was approved and implemented by nursing department as a standard of care practice
    BhutanEmergency medicineInitiation of emergency medicine residency program and emergency medical technician/emergency medical responder program
    CambodiaAnesthesiaEpidural analgesia protocol implemented in maternity department
    GhanaHand therapyImplementation of new protocol for management of flexor tendon repairs
    HaitiPhysical therapyClinical guidelines and assessment form for stroke patients implemented
    NepalOral healthClinical protocols in orthodontics implemented, and adoption of conscious sedation for the first time in the dental department
    PeruHematologyIntroduction of the Wright-Giemsa stain for better cytological evaluation of bone marrow smears in hematological diseases, new to hospital
    TanzaniaHematologyClinical protocols developed for management of all hematological malignancies

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Global Health: Science and Practice: 7 (3)
Global Health: Science and Practice
Vol. 7, No. 3
September 23, 2019
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Health Volunteers Overseas: A Model for Ethical and Effective Short-Term Global Health Training in Low-Resource Countries
Elizabeth MacNairn
Global Health: Science and Practice Sep 2019, 7 (3) 344-354; DOI: 10.9745/GHSP-D-19-00140

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Health Volunteers Overseas: A Model for Ethical and Effective Short-Term Global Health Training in Low-Resource Countries
Elizabeth MacNairn
Global Health: Science and Practice Sep 2019, 7 (3) 344-354; DOI: 10.9745/GHSP-D-19-00140
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