In 2009, the executive board members, Ebere Azumah, Patricia Oyetakin, Uka Atueyi, Danielle Djoumbi, and Amanda Braham decided to organize a medical mission trip. Thanks to a suggestion by, Ivory Dean, one of our active members, we decided that Haiti was a good location to begin our medical mission trips. Haiti was an ideal place because of its poverty, poor infrastructures and recent hurricanes.

A team consisting of medical students, a law student and a priest were courageous enough to go on their first medical mission trip. We took 16 suitcases of medical supplies, clothes, shoes, wristwatches, toys and toothbrushes to the people of Haiti. While in Haiti, we bought 10 bags of rice, 3 bags of sugar, 2 bags of beans and 2 large boxes of oil to donate to the orphanage. We also donated $500.00 to the OMES organization to use at their discretion.

In Haiti, we worked at a free clinic with local physicians. There we performed physical exams on patients and treated their illnesses. We gave away the medications we brought. We performed health screenings at the orphanage and diagnosed ear infections, tooth decay and vitamin D deficiencies. These patients were then sent to the free clinic to get the appropriate care. We also played with the orphans and told them that, “we love them and are proud of their accomplishments”.

Our second annual medical mission trip will occur this summer. We will be returning to Haiti to offer relief to those affected by the earthquake. As many of you are aware, on January 12th 2010, this impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere was devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. The earthquake affected over 3 million people. About 217,000 to 230,000 people have been identified as dead while an estimated 300,000 people were injured and another million were made homeless.

Although this trip was organized prior to the earthquake, we remain determined to go to Haiti to serve the many that are in need. On this occasion, we will be partnering with St. Paul’s Catholic Church under the auspice of Rev. Muma. We hope to carry a team of about 20 people from various disciplines.

Many of those who wish to go are medical and undergraduate premedical students that need financial support for the trip. Therefore, we are asking those of you that can help support us to please contact, Ebere Azumah at eazumah@med.wayne.edu.