Many diseases are regularly found in most of sub-Sahara African countries including malaria, cholera, HIV/AIDS, accident-related injuries, mental illness, etc so volunteers and interns get opportunities to experience situations on the ground that they may not have access to in Europe, the UK, USA and other western areas.
Zanzibar presents a unique healthcare landscape, where interns may encounter diseases and conditions not commonly seen in their home country. This exposure broadens their medical knowledge and hones their diagnostic skills as they learn to recognize and treat tropical illnesses.
This Healthcare Experience project is designed to support treatments for these diseases and improve general public health for the well-being of the community of Zanzibar.
Interns and volunteers of the following study fields and research are welcome: pharmacy, nursing, psychology, surgery, medicine and other related field.
The role of the volunteer and interns are to support a local hospital and assist trained medical staff, help protect and promote the health of the hospital patients and the visiting public, take care of the patients, contribute to teaching and training doctors and other healthcare professionals if qualified, act as a positive role model, engaging with hospital colleagues to maintain and improve the safety and quality of patient care and use healthcare resources efficiently for the benefit of patients and the public, etc.
Volunteers and interns assist Monday to Friday for roughly 6 hours a day in the morning shift.
The hospitals you will be appointed too has several areas that you could be assisting in namely a women’s ward, ICU (emergency) Paediatric (children ward) and others like radiology depending on the hospital. You will be assigned a hospital on arrival after discussion with the volunteer coordinator.
Your volunteer and intern duties could include these areas:
Clinical Duties: Participate in direct patient care under the supervision of attending physicians and senior residents. You may conduct patient assessments, perform physical examinations, and assist in medical procedures.
Patient Management: You may be involved in developing and implementing patient management plans, including ordering diagnostic tests, interpreting results, prescribing medications, and coordinating follow-up care.
Medical Documentation: You may be responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date medical records, including progress notes, orders, and discharge summaries, in compliance with hospital and regulatory requirements.
Team Collaboration: You may work closely with multidisciplinary healthcare teams, including nurses, therapists, social workers, and consultants, to coordinate patient care, address clinical concerns, and facilitate smooth transitions of care.
Quality Improvement: You may be involved with improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing patient safety, healthcare delivery efficiency, and clinical outcomes. They may participate in root cause analysis, data collection, and implementation of evidence-based interventions.
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