Dr Neil Fletcher in Africa
What's New?
LINKS:
www.shapeafrica.org.uk
- This is the medical charity that has been conceived out of Neil's vision for
sustainable medical care to rural African communities. For photos see:
www.shapeafrica.org.uk/photos
Why Africa?
Since the age of fifteen I have had a passion for healthcare in developing countries. In spring 1997 I spent two months working in a leprosy hospital in Pokhara, Nepal. Within a few days of arriving in Kathmandu I visited the Buddhist Monkey temple at Swyambunath with its famous 'Eyes of Buddha' As I climbed the steep cobbled steps to reach the clashing gongs and colourful Buddhist monks my heart was profoundly touched by the tiny malnourished babies lining the margins of the staircase with their desperate child-bride mothers begging for bread. At the time I was a penniless and inexperienced medical student but I was acutely aware of the long term harm done to a society that relies on begging.
Yet these emaciated, marasmic babies aged three months were the size of 26 week premature babies- the tiniest babies I'd ever seen in my life. Ten years later these images are still vividly imprinted on my memory.
Driven by the Nepal experience I spent some days in early 2006 analysing the WHO (World Health Organisation) morbidity and mortality data of the poorest countries on Earth. Whilst there was still much disease and poverty in Asia and South America the trend in these continents was very much towards increasing life expectancy ( generally >65) and reducing infant deaths. But in stark contrast many African countries were regressing rather than progressing in terms of Health Care. In much of central, Subsaharan and southern Africa life expectancy is still 35-40 and Under 5s mortality is nearly 25 %!! The facts are that the health of Africa in 2007 compares with the health of Africa in 1957. It is the only continent in the world to go backwards in terms of Health Care. Didn't Bob Geldoff sort it all out with Live Aid in the 1980s? Sadly despite his noble efforts the facts are that things are worse there now than they were in the 1980s.
On September 11th 2001 the world was rightly shocked when 2983 people died in the World Trade Centre. But the truth is that in Global terms these numbers are tiny. Every year 12 million kids dies in developing countries unnecessarily. That equates to a 9/11 every two hours of every day of every year, year in year out, decade after decade. In the last 2 hours since you have been surfing the internet there has been another 9/11. Not Bin Laden and US Bankers but Measles, Malaria, Diarrhoea, Pneumonia and kids. Diseases that can be easily, cheaply and simply be prevented/treated.
You think Herceptin is a scandal?? THIS IS A SCANDAL!
I believe that each of these African kids is a human life that is as valuable as each of those US Bankers. And that is why I have left my life of privilege and prosperity behind to be a doctor to the most disease-ridden and poverty-striken people on Earth.
Acknowledgements and Thanks
Many thanks to all my friends and family, patients, parishioners, and peers that have supported me and continue to support me in many different ways.
Especially- Dr Jenny Howard- heterogeneous support
Kim Mortiboy- my secretary
Kevin Barber- website.
