Namibia Bushman Clinic and Medical Volunteers

  Namibia

Windhoek

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks and 5-8 weeks
Dates: 1-2 weeks , 2-4 weeks , 5-8 weeks;Starts 1st & 3rd Thursday of each month

Description: This programme offers a great combination of medical training at a large medical practice, volunteer work at a rural Bushman Medical Clinic and working with Africa's fascinating wildlife. You will be spending 14 nights at a Wildlife Sanctuary just outside of Windhoek, working with the wildlife and taking trips into Windhoek to assist in a large private Medical Practice, whilst receiving training to ensure you are ready for work at the Bushman Clinic. Once the project team are happy that you are ready, you will be moved to where you will spend around 14 days assisting the nurse at a very basic clinic for bushman people.

Highlights:
1) Medical Practice and Training: The first element of your programme will be spent at a Medical Practice in Windhoek. During this time you will be receiving comprehensive training within the largest medical practice in Namibia, learning basic skills that will be a great help to you once you are at the Bushman Clinic project.

Staffed with 8 full time doctors and 2 smaller satellite practices, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to gain great medical experience and training for your work later on in the programme and for the future.

Your training will be varied and you will rotate between stations to get involved in the following:

    * Observation station: You will learn how to carry out practices such as urinal tests, pregnancy tests, glucose tests, ECG etc
    * Nursing station: You will spend at least 3 hours a day carrying out observational work on pregnant women with the nurses and assisting in wound dressing
    * Consulting with the Doctor: You will be allowed to sit in on some consultations with the doctor and their patient
    * Pharmacy station: Here you will learn about the medications used at the clinic
    * Eye Scouts: Training on eye cataracts
    * You may also get the chance to attend theatre cases

Please Note: Please take time to learn and read as much as possible during the time you spend at this medical practice. At the end of your induction phase you will get an evaluation test consisting of a written paper and 1 or 2 practical evaluations. It is essential you pass these tests, and only once the staff are satisfied will you be permitted to advance to the Bushman clinic. Your hard work will definitely be worth it!

The time you spend at the Medical Centre should be considered as serious time for evaluation, to then be transferred to the Bushman Clinic so please pay attention and dress appropriately.

2) Rural Bushman Clinic
If you successfully pass the evaluation and the project team are satisfied that your knowledge and skills will contribute greatly to the work of the nursing staff at the Bushman Clinic, a transfer there will be arranged for you by road. This is a long way, so you will need to wake up early, or you can opt to travel by light aircraft, at your own cost, should you wish to. Please note that the clinic is located in a very remote area of Namibia so you must be prepared, as you will be living in basic conditions for two weeks.

You will be assisting the nurse with the daily duties at this clinic, which is very basic indeed. The nurse will take you with her to assist with the following:

    * Primary Healthcare: Observations, reassurance to patients, treatments and emergency referrals
    * Observations: Pregnancy tests, and urine tests for patients and recording findings
    * Weighing babies and recording growth charts
    * Blood pressure recordings
    * Glucose testing and recording
    * Malaria tests, ultra sounds and X-rays
    * Wound dressings and cleaning of wounds
    * HIV and AIDS counselling, family planning and substance abuse counselling

3) Namibian Wildlife Sanctuary: During your spare time in the first 2 weeks of your programme and for those wishing to volunteer for 8 weeks, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the wildlife of Africa at this unique wildlife sanctuary.

The main objective of this new sanctuary is to be an initial rehabilitation station for orphaned, injured and problem wild animals that previously found their way to a local wildlife sanctuary.

Cost in US$: from $3069

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Other
• Written Application

Real Gap Experience's Mission Statement: We are ambitious for our company, our partners and the communities in which we work. We take our responsibilities seriously - understanding that the development of our business impacts directly on our partners, the communities that we visit and work with and that ultimately, our success is their success too.