DOC2DOCK

What is the barrier? South Sudan became an official nation on July 9 but according to 2007 data, the region faces the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. One of the biggest barriers to families accessing healthcare is a lack of the most basic equipment and supplies.

What is our goal? We have partnered with DOC2DOCK to send a 40 foot container of unused medical equipment and supplies to Goli in South Sudan.

Where? The newest African nation, South Sudan, faces tremendous potential but is also starting off with tremendous challenges including its record rates of maternal mortality. Our shipment will be going to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sudan Hospital in Goli, which supports the immediate population of Goli and the outlying rural areas.

How can you help? Our goal is to raise $18,000 so that we can send this container to Goli. Please click here to send your contribution OR help us meet our goal more quickly by holding a fundraiser. Every donation matters and there are no contributions too small. Gather your moms group, church group, Girl Scouts, PTA or book club and rally additional contributions to the effort. If you need extra support we'd be happy to help with educational materials to help in that sort of an endeavor.

In a country with so few resources, including health workers, having the appropriate equipment and supplies ensures that a provider can do the job he or she has been trained to do. It is incredibly challenging for health providers to be stymied in their ability to actually help patients in need for the simple lack of tools, medicine and basic commodities.

Yes those goods can be expensive but here’s where the solution gets interesting—and environmentally sound! It turns out that in the U.S., thousands of tons of medical supplies are sent to landfills every day due to regulations in the US medical system. That’s not the stuff that gets disposed of because it’s old or broken or past its expiration date—we’re talking about the viable, functional things that are simply not “new” enough by our standards. DOC2DOCK works with hospitals across the country to collect these goods and then redistribute them to meet the specific needs of hospitals in the developing world. A thorough needs assessment is conducted on the ground so that we’re sure that every single good sent is wanted, needed and will be put to use.

This region in South Sudan where we intend to send this container couldn’t be a better candidate. According to the most recent data from the UN, there is 1 doctor for 100,000 people around Goli but thankfully there’s a staff of nurses and community health workers capable of supporting this new structure—if only they are equipped to do so. A new facility has been erected but funding ran out to purchase equipment and supplies so there is a solid infrastructure in terms of buildings but limited technical equipment, no sustained supply chain and the population gets cut off regularly from the surrounding region by heavy rains. In other words, they really need a facility that can provide medical care that they can reach.

Thank you for joining this effort! Together we can make a differencein the lives of so many.

Click here to make a donation!