Our Crowdfunding Groups
This summer, 11 first year medical students from UC Irvine will be traveling to Mwanza, Tanzania to teach ultrasound and conduct research at the Tandabui Institute of Health, Education, Science and Technology (TIHEST). This will be the fourth year our group has traveled to Tanzania and we are excited to return in 2017! Our ultimate goal is to establish a sustainable ultrasound program at TIHEST by providing local instructors with the means to carry on the program when we cannot be there. We are well on our way towards sustainability and equipping TIHEST with knowledge and resources. Additionally, we will be hosting a cervical cancer screen-and-treat clinic and researching the needs for Hepatitis C and Ophthalmology education and services. Learn more about our projects below!
Ultrasound is a medical imaging technique that uses sound waves to visualize internal organs in real time. You are probably most familiar with ultrasound and its ability to visualize a developing baby inside its mother’s womb. But, ultrasound offers a variety of other uses: from visualizing a beating heart to localizing the presence of internal bleeding. Medical imaging tests that are easily accessible here in the United States, such as MRI’s, CT’s, and X-rays, are not easy to come by in Mwanza due to cost and the size of the machines. Ultrasound machines are more portable than their imaging counterparts (some can fit inside a small duffle bag!) and cost less to own and operate. For this reason, teaching the local community how to properly use ultrasound can provide many benefits.
In most nations in sub-Saharan Africa, cervical cancer remains the most prevalent cancer among women, with approximately 40% of new cases occurring in East Africa. Tanzanian women bear the highest burden of cervical cancer in this region, with incidence rates as high as 50.6 cases per 100,000! Despite these figures, there are no universal screening practices in Tanzania for cervical cancer. In light of this, the 2016 UCI Tanzania Team conducted a study among over 200 healthcare students at the Tandabui Institute of Health Science and Technology (TIHEST) to assess health care workers’ awareness of HPV/cervical cancers. They found that the majority of students were unaware of proper screening guidelines for cervical cancer and the risk factors for HPV transmission. Considering the limitations in knowledge, the purpose of our 2017 study is to implement an evidence-based, interactive lecture series on HPV and cervical cancer, and assess how well this education method improves the overall knowledge of healthcare workers for the prevention, screening, and treatment of HPV/cervical cancer.
Hepatitis C is a leading cause of liver disease worldwide, with at least 31.9 million people in Africa currently infected. Little research has been done regarding healthcare workers' and students' knowledge about Hepatitis C in Tanzania. Given that many individuals with Hepatitis C are not aware they are ill due to lack of clinical symptoms, it is important for healthcare providers to be knowledgeable about the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Hepatitis C. Therefore, the purpose of our study is to assess the knowledge level of healthcare students in Mwanza regarding Hepatitis C. By investigating the current awareness that exists in Mwanza, the community can then work towards planning educational materials to bridge any gaps in the existing knowledge of Hepatitis C and to strategize ways to create meaningful strides toward increasing resources for Hepatitis C-infected patients.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), eye pathology has a high prevalence globally, especially in developing countries such a Tanzania. While the world has started tackling this problem through initiatives such as VISION 2020 (effort to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020), many rural areas of developing nations have not yet had an assessment of eye health conducted. The purpose of this research study is to understand the eye health needs and the prevalence of eye issues in the rural Mwanza community. Conducting this needs assessment will help us understand the magnitude of need for an eye clinic in this region of Tanzania. We believe that learning about their eye health needs is the first step to improving access to eye care in the Mwanza community.
$50– Hire local drivers/townsmen to advertise for the cervical cancer clinic
$100 – “Adopt-a-Student” and cover the cost of their Ultrasound Education supplies OR support a local translator
$500 – Cryosurgical units for the treatment of precancerous cervical lesions
