Togo

It is an unabashedly evangelistic hospital where the christian faith is shared with all the patients,and for many who have terminal cancer or aids,it is all we can offer,(but ultimately is the best we do offer).Many patients become Christians and go to their families and villages and have a profound positve influence in the culture,which is amazing to see. It's a wonderful place with wonderful dedicated people who are a real inspiration to those of us lucky enough to be able to go there...It is a 40 bed hospital,and by far the best in the country (the only hospital that does CPR!).People will travel for days to get there,rich and poor alike.We have ob,peds,medicine and surgery.There is a clinic where we see hundreds of people.The medicine is amazing,like a 150 years ago in the west-rabies,malaria,snake bite,tetanus,typhoid fever,parasites,trauma,meningitis,leprosy,as well as all the stuff we are acquainted with in the west.The ultrasound machine is basically the only diagnostic imaging tool available,and is invaluable-it is used in ob,surgery, peds,the clinic and on the wards almost continuously.From ectopic pregnancies to term pregnacy evaluation for C-section, premature newborn cardiac and intracranial studies to trauma and post-op care,to deciding if a pt has a typhoid perforation and needs surgery to directing drainage of extremity abscesses,locating foreign bodies,evaluating meningomyelocoels,determining dvt's,ascertaining the location of ureters for vesicovaginal fistula repair,monitoring hepatic amoebic abscesses and on and on... .The portability of the system is invaluable as it goes from clinic to ward to ob to surgery all day long, and its'construction and configuration are ideal for the third world where hardiness and lack of downtime are mandatory.There is no question that the system helps to save lives on a daily basis,and they desperately need a new or used unit to be donated.They currently have only an ancient full size stand alone ultrasound unit that may fail any day now,and the only time we have had access to a portable machine is when I travel over once a year and bring with me a unit someone was kind enough to loan me,such as UNITSUSA ,or SonoSite,Inc.


- Dr. Sullivan