How to Get Medical Aid to Africa

You can deliver medical aid to Africa in several ways. Philanthropists may donate money. Trained health care specialists may volunteer their time and expertise. Ordinary citizens, pharmacies and medical centers with surplus may donate medical supplies, devices and medications. Sending money and supplies through an organization is the easiest way to contribute. Workers who dedicate their lives to providing medical treatment meet a number of challenges including poor road infrastructure, impoverished working conditions, social communication barriers, cultural taboos around certain subjects and political pressure.

Instructions

• 1

  Volunteer with or contribute to Doctors for Life (DFL). They provide dental care, vision services and minor surgeries to residents of sub-Saharan Africa. Specific countries of focus are Mozambique, Angola and Zambia. In addition to accepting the assistance of medical personnel, DFL accepts donations of food, vehicles, fuel, medications, clothing and medical and office equipment.

• 2

  Donate money to Americares. Gifts to this nonprofit organization helps pharmaceutical company-donated drug, devices and medical supplies reach clinics and hospitals around Africa. Americares has helped remote communities in Chad, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Eritrea, Mozambique, Malawi, Senegal, Niger, Tanzania, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

• 3

  Give new and reusable medical supplies like crutches and wheelchairs to Medical Bridges. The nonprofit also accepts money, medicines, beds, scalpels, gloves, syringes and exam tables. Medical Bridges has reached out to communities in Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Ghana, Eritrea, Malawi, Kenya and Zambia.

• 4

  Make a monetary donation to the restoration of Lake Malawi's clinic ship, Chauncy Maples. Owned by the government of Malawi, once sailing again it will deliver medical treatment, maternal care, surgical operations, dental care, immunizations and family planning education to approximately 4 million people living around the lake. Care will target area epidemics like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

• 5

  Contribute money to ZANE, a non-profit organization of brave volunteers who work in secrecy to provide medical care to the politically dominated people of Zimbabwe. ZANE performs its duties, specifically HIV-AIDS care, in collaboration with another organization, Medicines San Frontiers. In addition, ZANE trains community health workers to meet the health-care needs of other members of their communities. In turn, newly trained workers provide a greater outreach to sick populations and help them get help.