What is your role as a MAP ambassador?
Whilst bringing medical supplies overseas may seem like a logistical conundrum, the project officers from the Material Aid Program will take care of most of the paperwork, so there are only a few things you will be asked to help with.
- Complete the Expression of Interest Form. When you sign up, you will provide some information about your intended trip, such as the dates, the location and how much spare luggage (in kg) you can bring.
- Next, you will have to find a partner organisation (such as a hospital, clinic or a local charity that distributes supplies) who needs medical supplies. Alternatively, you can arrange to provide supplies to the CISaustralia program partner in your intended country of travel. Contact your CIS Program Advisor for contact details.
- You will be provided with a wish list which you can forward to the program partner/partner organisation, who will then fill it out and return it to you. You will then share the list with MUHI.
- The project officers will pack the desired medical supplies according to the wish list, complete the customs clearance letter and leave the package for you to pick up at the warehouse in Melbourne shortly before you leave for your trip.
- All you have to do now is pick up and carry the medical supplies overseas, then fill out a short evaluation survey after your partner organisation receives the package.
If you have any questions please contact Ray Xu, Project Officer for the Material Aid Program (MAP): rxu@muhi.org.au
Previous ambassador feedback
Philippines – Monash University Students
The equipment was donated to 2 hospitals in the region of Northern Samar, a comparably under resourced province of the Philippines in terms of healthcare resources with a high poverty index. The equipment was particularly useful for GB Tan, a smaller rural hospital which we spent 4 days at observing and assisting with patient care. The hospital treated a variety of patients including emergency cases of trauma, delivery babies, and infectious diseases such as Dengue and typhoid. Despite the hard work of the doctors and nurses there, some patients such as one man with likely an acute myocardial infraction, had to be transferred by boat and then ambulance to the regional hospital more than 1.5 hours away. This was partly due to a lack of access to basic equipment such as a working ECG machine and accurate blood pressure cuffs. We hope and believe the equipment that has been donated will assist the doctors and nurses there in being able to better diagnose and treat the local community and result in better patient outcomes.
Uganda – Monash University Students
[The donation] was able to provide free medical care to 40 patients a day for approximately 5 days. They received a comprehensive health check including vital signs, history and examination from the doctor, and lab pathology and diagnostics. Other donated funds were used to buy medication and treatment which was then given appropriately. The patients were Ugandans in extremely rural and isolated areas who will otherwise very rarely seek medical care.
General feedback
Overall our experience with MAP was very organised and positive! With so much to organise in the lead up to our trip, it was great to have assistance in preparing medical supplies and to have a team with more experience save us the trip to the DIK warehouse.
The experience with MAP was (once again) really great. Communication was easy and a wonderful team member even dropped off the equipment for us.
