The Trinidad Medical Mission Trip was a tremendous success because of over 50 individuals who volunteered their vacation time and financial resources to serve in various communities in Southern Trinidad. Our group included approximately 14 dentists, dental students, and hygienists from Loma Linda University led by Dr. Lee and Dr. Lewis. Dr. W. Lawrence (in private practice in Michigan) completed the dental team. Additionally, we had 3 emergency medicine physicians, 1 gynecologist, 1 radiologist who interpreted ultrasounds done by our radiology/ultrasound technician, as well as nurse practitioners and nurses in various specialties (geriatric, pediatric, emergency medicine, etc). We had several mental health and physical health counselors from backgrounds as varied as that of a church minister, a social worker, and a Harvard University sociologist. Our group was completed by supporting staff volunteers, whose professions included that of attorney, engineer, retiree, city planner, educator, student, construction worker, and housewife. Day in and day out they tirelessly worked as coordinators, registered patients, distributed glasses, gave health talks, and assisted in any capacity required.
Our group was divided into 3 teams, each consisting of a physician, nurses and dentists and various supporting staff of equivalent number and skill. Additionally we had a special women’s health team consisting of our obstetrician and gynecologist, radiologist and ultrasound technician. Each team was sent to a specific town to provide dental care as well as medical care and screening for the day.
Initially a team was sent to La Fortune Village in La Romain where residents from the community were treated in their local Community Center. Another team was sent to Mohess Road Baptist Church and the third was sent to Ramai Trace where the local politician or councilman provided his own home to be used as a clinic for the day.
On the second day a team was sent to Quarry Road in Siparia; a second team was sent to the Sixth Company in Hindustan to a home for abused young women where the residents were treated as well as numerous members of the community. The third team was sent to a Muslim Mosque in Barrack Pore. This was very significant as we are a Christian organization, and we were able to serve, and be well received by members of the local Muslim community.
The evening of that second day was designated time to treat the hotel staff. After completing another long work day, we returned to the Paria Suites Hotel for our evening meals and then immediately set up our equipment and various stations in the hotel’s conference hall. Dozens of the restaurant, grounds maintenance, housekeeping, reception and security staff attended, including those who where on duty. We only had two very exhausted teams working as the third team was delayed in returning to the hotel because they continued to take care of patients late that evening at their work site.
On the third work day a team was sent to Guyana Gare, another to Manzanilla and the final team to the Lions Club in Mayaro. On this day we encountered our longest travel time, almost 2 hours one way. These were the most rural sites. As is true of all of our work sites, there were patients patiently waiting, most having arrived very early that morning just to have the opportunity to see a physician and a dentist. The majority, especially the elderly, had never been examined by a dentist prior to our visit. Needless to say, the dental team performed an unusually amount of extractions and oral hygiene education classes at each site.
Each site functioned similarly in that specific stations were established: patient registration with chief complaint and history intake; weight and height; blood pressure; blood glucose and cholesterol check; optical; gynecology; radiology; dental; mental health counseling and general health counseling; and physical exam and counseling by the physician or nurse practitioner with distribution of medical literature and medications. At the end of our work week we saw in excess of 1,167 adults and children, including the hotel staff. It is difficult to determine the total number of patients seen by the dental team because they were inundated with patients and were compelled to simply treat them without documenting the treatment. We were well aware that those waiting would most likely never have the opportunity to see a dentist at no cost to them and the dentists simply didn’t have the heart to turn them away. Nevertheless, we estimate that approximately 513 patients had their teeth cleaned or had extractions or other dental procedures done. In addition, over 386 patients were provided dental hygiene education. Each dental patient was provided with new toothbrush and tooth paste.
We provided each patient with any medication that the treating physician, dentist or health care practitioner prescribed free of charge. In those rare cases where we did not have the medication on hand, the patients were provided with a prescription for the medicine, with arrangements for them to obtain it the following day at no cost to the patients. In addition, they also received specific literature that the health care professionals reviewed with them, ensuring that they are educated on how to prevent, eliminate or manage their illness. Many life style related diseases were diagnosed (new onset hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, obesity) and patients were given the information and tools necessary to reverse their condition. Fortunately, most of our patients had access to a local clinic for continuity of care.
We also cheerfully gave gifts to each adult and child that we treated. These gifts were typically newly purchased or donated items such as books, pencils, crayons, and age appropriate toys. The adults received various paper goods, pens, note pads, books, etc. We estimate that in excess of two thousand individual items where distributed.
Finally we conducted a health program for a full day at the Marabella Seventh Day Adventist Church, and two of our members were featured on a national radio program, and were able to broadcast our health message over the entire country of Trinidad and Tobago
We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of this medical mission trip including:
- Dr. Gayle Daniel who provided us with hundreds of prescription glasses
- The Hamilton family who solicited donations and provided all the supplies for the children
- Victoria DeCoteau and Community Hospital of Seventh Day Adventists for hosting us and providing meals and transportation and other supplies that we needed
- Pastor Teelbany Singh for his selfless contributions in time and energy
- The Paria Suites Hotel management, staff, and owner, specifically, those at the reception desk and in the restaurant.
- Colgate-Palmolive Company (via Clara Hibbert) for providing us with hundreds of tooth paste tubes and toothbrushes
- Pfizer Corporation (via Juanita Trusty) for donating numerous supplies for us to give away (paper goods, writing pads, pens, clocks, miniature computer mouse, etc)
- MAP International for supplying medications for distribution at a vastly reduced cost
- The government of Trinidad and Tobago
- Our selfless volunteers who donated many hours in the planning, execution and success of this endeavor. May God bless you all.
Respectfully submitted by
Ann Burnett
General Secretary and Mission Coordinator
United Hands
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