Medicine on the Move was recently granted permission by the government of Ghana to launch a health education campaign by air. Using a Rotax-powered Zenith CH701, the Ghanaian team, who also built and maintain the aircraft, set out to take health education solutions to some of the more challenging locations in the West African bush.
Part of the drop program includes inviting people in the isolated communities to special training sessions on health matters. The first meeting, completely set up by aerial supply contact methods, took place recently in Asesewa in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
The community health representatives, accompanied by their Queen Mothers, gripped their community specific packages in their hands. All wanted to meet the pilot/engineer who they had waved to as they passed over the school field, dropping “health education and encouragement” to their community.
Pilot Patricia Mawuli Nyekodzi spoke to them, encouraging them and answering their questions. The people beamed and told all how the aircraft had inspired their people and that they now want their children to learn more so that they can be pilots like Patricia, officials report, adding “such encouragement cannot be measured, it can only be felt in your heart.”
The health session was led by Michaela Hayes, who grew up in Ghana, who was assisted by three student pilots from rural Ghana with a SODIS (SOlar DISinfection of water) demonstration. Water and sanitation are massive issues in these isolated communities, officials said, noting that without communication, training and ongoing encouragement, many of these communities are finding hard to obtain socio-economic growth and sustainability.
You can read more about the meeting, health drops and the ongoing work of Medicine on the Move here.
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