Project Summary – FICCS (Foundation for International Cardiac & Children’s Services)
Kenya Mission
July 18 – August 2, 2013
Background:
FICCS provides charity catheterization procedures, including donated pacemakers, for
poor and underserved communities in East Africa. In addition, FICCS trains East African
cardiologist, ICU nurses, medical specialist and biomedical engineers to ensure that
cardiovascular programs are viable and sustainable.
FICCS has designed a program to provide East African cardiologist with practical
experience and intellectual preparation in diagnosis and management of cardiovascular
diseases, which are increasingly on the rise in Africa. This program helps provide the
necessary “hands on” experience required by Western Medical Boards and increased
awareness of new and innovative technologies.
Since 2010, FICCS has performed 39 charity cardiac catheterization procedures and has
trained dozens of East African cardiologist and cardiac care specialist. In addition, FICCS
has donated over $2 million USD worth of state of the art medical equipment, including
training and installation, for needy clinics and hospitals in East Africa.
FICCS began providing charity services in Kenya in 2003 to foster the development of
the under trained Kenyan medical workers. Dr. Patel, through his training program in
Kenya, performed the first Bi Vent pacemaker procedure in Kenya in 2006. FICCS has
worked with all the major hospitals in Nairobi and has established excellent
relationships with the Kenya Ministry of Health to assist in improving cardiac care for
the overwhelmed hospitals and undertrained medical workers.
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Personnel:
The members of the July 2012 US medical mission team consists of the following:
Dr. Parag V. Patel, Cardiologist/Internal Medicine and Team Leader
Dr. Rupa Desai, Family Practice Physician
Kahla Dean, Biomedical Engineer/Pacemaker Specialist
Arvindar Bharaj, Biomedical Engineer
Oxsana Pidhyoreckyi, Executive Director/Paul Chester Children’s Hope Foundation (PCCHF)
Don Porr, Engineer/Logistical Support
Susannah Porr, Instructor/Education
Douglass Byrnes, Physical Education Specialist
Tejas Patel, Medical Support and Videographer
Shriya Patel, Adolescent Health Coach
Liam Porr, Student Volunteer
Ella Porr, Student Volunteer
Thea Porr, Student Volunteer
Objectives of this visit:
1) To provide 5 charity cardiac catheterization procedures for East Africans who
otherwise could not afford the fees. Services include pre and post operation
consultations and donated pacemakers.
2) Enhance surgical skills of cardiologist and other cardiac medical workers and
introduce advanced procedures. Enhance skills necessary in diagnosis and
management of common cardiovascular problems.
3) Recognize common cardiac treatments available in East Africa and advance
common principles and different areas of expertise to foster new treatment
options to help cardiac care in East Africa.
4) Evaluate and treat local pediatric and general acute medical conditions
(diarrhea, pneumonia) and chronic medical conditions (hypertension, thyroid
disorders, ocular complaints) in conjunction with local physicians and nurses.
5) Raise awareness of health related issues, especially those related to women and
children. Improving local communities health knowledge helps to decrease
illness and even death from easily preventable diseases, such as cholera.
Follow up care and ongoing medical support of the patients will be a funded by FICCS
and performed by local medical staff. The participating East African cardiologist and
medical workers will receive additional support and ongoing training.
All evaluation and screening of medical camp participants will be designed to implement
health awareness and disease prevention programs. Each participant will get health
training in addition to health services. Educational support will be provided to the
women and children through FICCS team members.
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Our tentative schedule is as follows:
Nairobi:
July 18-26; July 31-Aug 2;
Kenyatta National Hospital – Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is the only
government facility in Kenya that has the ability to perform cardiac catheterization
procedures. Six charity surgeries for patients who cannot afford the costs of the
procedure are scheduled for July 22-25. Procedures will include pre and post operation
consultation; donated pacemaker; and follow up services with local cardiologist. “Hands
On” training and supervision from Dr. Patel makes the training most successful because
training on this scale is not available to East African cardiologist. “Hands On” training is
all provided for East African biomedical engineers and cardiac care workers.
University of Nairobi – Classroom instruction for participating cardiologist and
medical students will be conducted by Dr. Patel and his team. Classroom training will
include lectures, slideshows and presentations.
The Karen Hospital – Lab dissection of pig hearts will be conducted at The Karen
Hospital (TKH) in Nairobi, Kenya. TKH has state of the art cardiac facilities and their
team will assist Dr. Patel and his cardiac team. FICCS has partnered with TKH since 2010
performing over 30 surgeries at their facilities and training dozens of cardiologist.
Symposium – A cardiovascular symposium will be conducted at a site TBD for
participating local cardiologist and cardiac care workers. The symposium is designed to
introduce East Africans to new and innovative cardiovascular diagnosis and
management methods. FICCS has conducted six symposiums in Nairobi since 2010.
Free Medical Camp – A free medical camp will be conducted for women and children.
The camp is designed for at risk and vulnerable populations living in the slums of
Nairobi. The camp will include free medicines, pediatric and internal medical exams and
treatment for medical conditions. FICCS has been providing healthcare and hygiene
training for young women and children in the slums of Nairobi for three years. In
addition, the camp will include fitness and fun events related to keeping a healthy heart
by the local women and children. It is all designed to promote Healthy Heart Awareness.
Funzo Kenya/USAID – FICCS has partnered with FUNZO Kenya/USAID to implement a
medical worker scholarship and training program to help make health services in Kenya
more sustainable. Currently, there is a massive shortage of nurses and doctors, which
makes the situation even worse for poor and remote areas. Dr. Patel along with the US
Ambassador to Kenya, Robert F. Grodek, will be participating in the scholarship launch
event. FICCS has awarded 18 scholarships to date including three nursing scholarships
for girls in the slums of Nairobi.
Magadi:
July 27-July 30;
Oloika Primary School – The Magadi site is an extremely remote location inhabited by
the local Maasai community. The FICCS team will conduct Screening and evaluation,
including pediatric and cardiovascular exams. Medicines will be donated to support the
clinic and the local community. Without this tiny clinic, community members have to
walk miles for treatment oftentimes to find the facility has no medicines or no nurse.
FICCS has provided 10 primary boarding school scholarships and support for the Maasai
women and local clinics.
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Secondary Objectives:
FICCS aims to empower poor and marginalized East African communities through
healthcare and surgical services. Most African cannot afford basic medical services or
services are too far away as they simply suffer in silence. Empowerment can be
accomplished through improving local surgical, nursing and medical specialist skills.
Our objective is to provide a template for medical worker training that can be duplicated
across East Africa utilizing local trained medical workers..
FICCS has partnered with Paul Chester Children’s Hope Foundation (PCCHF) and has
been providing charity medical services to marginalized rural communities in Kenya for
three years. PCCHF provides specialized medical services in developing countries giving
people a chance to live productive lives through well-conceived medical interventions.
Interventions include reconstructive surgery and work to arrest preventable and
curable diseases such as trachoma and glaucoma
FICCS partnership with PCCHF will provide specialized ENT skills for medical camps in
Loita Hills and Nairobi. Since 2007, PCCHF Kenya has run 15 surgical/medical missions
in Kenya. In January 2011, four mission sites were visited, 1000 patients were screened
and treated, and 60 surgeries were performed including eye, ear and orthopedic cases.
Support:
These missions are supported by private donations from individuals, and all donated
funds directly support the missions. Airfare consumes 20-40% of donations for US led
missions. With Emirates Airline Foundation’s travel support the impact on the care we
provide will be substantial and immediate: more donated funds will be used to obtain
medical supplies and equipment, and more missions can be supported.
In addition, FICCS receives full logistical and administrative support in Kenya from our
partners, Meditec Systems, Nairobi X Ray and Fuji Film Kenya. These organizations
source local medical workers, source medicines and supplies and provide biomedical
support and training.
Dr. Parag V. Patel
Chairman/Founder
FICCS
1010 Sheridan Road
Wilmette, IL 60091
parag@ficcs.net
www.ficcs.net
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