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HEAL Africa provides holistic care for the people of Democratic Republic of Congo
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HEAL Africa trains healthcare professionals

HEAL Africa's medical center in Goma is a well recognized teaching hospital providing quality care. HEAL Africa aims to develop community-based healthcare initiatives across rural areas in eastern DR Congo by training healthcare professionals, providing services and supplies, and is one of the few local institutions conducting health research in the conflict-ridden region.

HEAL Africa healthcare professionals

Training Medical Professionals

HEAL Africa's tertiary care center in Goma is well recognized as a prominent teaching hospital providing ongoing training for healthcare professionals. It is the hospital of choice for good care in the region and acts as a referral center for the most difficult cases. The hospital offers care and training with specialists in Family Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Radiology, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Read More

HEAL Africa Hospital 

The HEAL Africa hospital specializes in orthopedic surgery and gynecological surgery. The hospital runs with 16 Congolese doctors and surgeons, 28 nurses, and an administrative team for a total of 80 staff.

HEAL performed 1134 general and orthopedic operations in 2007. Many children and adults receive surgery for conditions such as clubfoot, cleft palate, spina bifida, polio, rickets, and injuries from land mines, gunshots and grenades.

HEAL Africa is the UNFPA and UNICEF training site in northeastern DRC for the repair of fistula. HEAL averages over 300 fistula reparations each year and has performed over 1400 successful surgeries. Fistula is a tear in the vaginal or rectal wall resulting in incontinence. It is caused by labor complications due to lack of access to basic healthcare, giving birth at a premature age, or heinous rape.

The majority of patients are from surrounding rural areas and do not have the ability to pay for minor health care, let alone major surgery. No patient in need of surgery is turned down because of inability to pay. $400 is the average cost of an operation. DONATE HERE

Rural Health Care  

Shattered by 15 years of war and political instability, the health infrastructure in northeastern Congo is incapable of providing sufficient services. Recognizing that the majority of rural patients cannot come to Goma for treatment, HEAL Africa invests in strengthening rural health centers and training personnel.

HEAL Africa trains nurses in rural health centers as many nurses have only received basic first aid training. The program also provides basic medications and supplies for the Centers. HEAL Africa helps as many health centers as possible to structurally rebuild after years of destruction due to war or neglect. HEAL Africa’s Orthopedic Outreach program sends HEAL surgeons into remote, hard to reach villages to perform operations for several weeks at a time. People are healed who would have never had the chance to travel to Goma. 646 outreach operations were performed in 2007. They also train local health professionals during their stay.

Safe Motherhood

The Safe Motherhood and Family Planning program has been training nurses and traditional birth attendants in rural areas for over four years. The program trains them in the proper administration of contraceptives and safe birthing practices. Over 40 nurses and 80 traditional birth attendants have been trained. The hospital also has a maternity ward and neonatal nursery.

A new component of Safe Motherhood is the income generation health insurance program. It helps women who are identified to be at risk of needing surgical interventions save for their own  “medical insurance”.

Bednets for Children

One out of three children in the pediatric ward at HEAL Africa Hospital in Goma, D.R. Congo, has malaria today. The HEAL Africa team has just reconfigured the way nets are distributed, with training and home visits, and will be expanding distribution and training nets through the Nehemiah Committees, local village leaders who are committed to helping their community members, especially the most vulnerable. HEAL Africa knows that information which comes through someone you trust has a higher chance of being heard and acted upon.  Empowering local leadership to take responsibility is a key factor in success of HEAL Africa’s ability to help. Every child at the HEAL Africa hospital goes home with a bednet thanks to your donations!

Medical Research and Study

HEAL Africa was founded on the principle that all interventions should be closely monitored for their outcomes and effectiveness. Each of the residents does several research theses over the course of their training, and many of the faculty are also involved in research of their own.

Continuing Medical Education  

HEAL Africa hosts frequent lectures for the medical community in Goma given by international visiting doctors. Medical teams from various churches across North America, Europe, and Australia annually volunteer at HEAL Africa. They teach theory and practice in addition to working with Congolese doctors in the wards.

HEAL also partners with Global Strategies, IPOP (International Pediatric Outreach Program), University of California San Francisco, University of Pretoria, and University of Ghent (Belgium), University of Limpopo, and Makerere University (Uganda).