Where We Serve

Federal Republic of Nigeria
(This page is under construction and is being continually updated.)
Links of Interest: • Nigeria Direct:Official Information Gateway • Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health • Nigeria's World Health Organization Page • Nigeria World Health Day 2005 page: • Make Every Mother and Child Count! • IME-NEPWHAN Partnership Press Release • IME Proposed Rivers State Project

International Medical Exchange, Inc. is passionately committed to the health, well-being and prosperity of the people of Nigeria,"the Heart of Africa."

IME is strongly positioned to succeed in making significant improvements to the health of both the children and adults of Nigeria through targeted programs focused on assisting specific, underserved regions and patient communities.

IME has recently entered into a partnership with NEPHAN, the Nework of People Living with HIV-AIDS in Nigeria. This partnership offers hope, happiness and healthy lifestyle options for thousands of men, women and children across Nigeria. Learn More...

In the Spotlight:
IME Rivers State Physician Training Program

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL EXCHANGE, INC.
Capacity Building in Nigerian Physicians through Training in Modern Surgical Techniques

New: View Rivers State Photo Gallery (Under Construction)

Proposed Project Summary

I. Current Situation

Today in the Rivers State region of Nigeria, as in other parts of the Niger Delta, many children, men and women die every day as a result of the lack of modern surgical tools and techniques. These unnecessary and preventable deaths of the country’s youth, among other implications, negatively affect the economic development of Rivers State in particular and Nigeria in general. Immediate steps must be taken to improve the health care system of Rivers State, particularly as relates to training and updating the knowledge of Nigerian surgeons and making available modern surgical equipment to medical professionals and hospitals.

Rivers State of Nigeria is in the heartland of the Niger Delta, home of Nigeria’s oil belt. Much of its difficult terrain is comprised of mangrove swamp forest and covers creeks, brooks, estuaries, tributaries and rivulets. The exploration of oil for over forty years in the State has, on balance, negatively impacted the health of the people. This is because of the release of hydrocarbons and other noxious materials into the atmosphere, along with gas combustion with the generation of intense heat, and disposal of waste and oil spills.

These noxious chemicals often find their way into the food chain. As a result, medical conditions unknown to the region in the past are becoming commonplace, and known disease conditions are becoming more severe. For example, a recent study of the six major causes of childhood deaths in Nigeria indicate that the Niger Delta area, constituted a zone of disproportionately high fatality rates from these diseases. This means that the life expectancy of the indigenous Rivers people and others in the Niger Delta is far lower than that of the rest of Nigeria. If the fatality rate of preventable childhood diseases is that high, one can only imagine the death rate from diseases that require surgical intervention.

II. Project

The proposed project involves organizing and carrying out a medical mission to Rivers State during which U.S. surgeons and medical personnel will establish an endoscopic center at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, and train Nigerian doctors in latest techniques of minimally invasive surgery that drastically reduce hospital stay. Minimal access /invasive surgery using endoscopes find application in urology, thoracic surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery and several diagnostic procedures. The short-term and long-term benefits to health care in Rivers State and its economy cannot be overemphasized. The advantages are legion. These include:

• Reduced surgical trauma which will result in drastic reduction to hospital stay
  
• Reduced costs of surgery and hospitalization
  
• Reduced morbidity and mortality due to reduced tissue trauma.
  
• Reduction of financial burden as a result of reduced costs of surgery and hospital stay.
  
• Scarce resources are spread to more patients since the cost per patient is reduced.
  
• Reduced requirements for blood transfusion and consequently reduced risks of transfusion of blood-borne diseases and pathogens including HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, C etc.
  
• The risks to the surgeon of contracting HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases are effectively eliminated.
  
• The risks of nosocomial transmission of diseases to patients are also eliminated. This year-long project calls for organizing the mission, completing the training program in Nigeria and carrying out follow-up patient care and doctor performance.

III. Measurable Objectives

Objective 1: Carry out the surgical training mission during April 2006.

Objective 2: Train at least 50 Nigerian surgeons in laproscopic techniques for performing a cholecystectomy, appendectomy, adhesiolysis, oophorectomy, tubal ligation exploratory laporotomy etc; and a variety of diagnostic procedures.

Objective 3: Over the period 2006 to 2008, save a minimum of 10,000 lives as determined by program evaluation research.

Objective 4: Establish an Endoscopic Surgical Training Center at the University of Port Harcourt with a mission of offering on-going training of surgeons throughout the country.

Objective 5: Develop and implement the telemedical linkage between American medical training institutions and the new laparoscopic training center at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.

IV. Project Action

Plan Month 1:

• Project director completes selection of members of the team.
• Project team completes the detailed project budget and action plan.
• Begin research on identifying medical personnel who will participate in the surgical training mission.
• Preliminary contact with Rivers State hospitals participating in the project.

Months 2-4:

• Begin development of mission training materials.
• Negotiate and sign an MOU between IME and the Rivers State government.
• Begin recruiting doctors and surgical staff.
• Begin completing logistical arrangements for the trip.
• IME and Rivers State cooperate to select Nigerian doctors to participate in the training.

Month 5:

• Finalize logistical arrangements in both the U.S. and Rivers State.
  
• Prepare and print surgical training educational packets.

Month 6:

• Carry out Rivers State Surgical Training Mission.

Months 7-12:

• Carry out mission debriefing.
• Complete evaluation of training program effectiveness.
• Carry out patient tracking program.
• Begin preliminary planning for the second mission aimed at establishing the long-term training center.

V. Budget

Qualified organizations may obtain a copy of this proposal containing budget data by contacting IME at: info@ime-inc.org

VI. Applicant Organization

The International Medical Exchange, Inc. (IME), a U.S. non-profit corporation, is seeking funds to support this critically important international project. The project has been enthusiastically endorsed by members of U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, leading public officials, university medical schools and associations (including the National Medical Association) private sector firms and leading citizens.

Since 1997, IME has played a prominent role in focusing the energies and expertise of the medical community in the United States, in providing direct assistance to address the health crisis in Africa. IME recognizes that good health is a prerequisite for poverty reduction and economic growth. The proposed 2006 mission will contribute significantly to saving lives and making the people of Rivers State live healthier and more productive lives.

VII. Contact

Information Interrnational Medical Exchange
8701 Georgia Avenue, Suite 406
Silver Spring, MD USA 20910
Tel: 301.608.2224
Fax: 301.608.2259
Email: info@ime-inc.org
Web: www.ime-inc.org

See the IME Contact page for additional information, including map and driving directions to our US offices.