LLUAHSC - Spring 2002 Newscope

Newscope

Project Fix-it team assists Davis Memorial Hospital in Georgetown, Guyana

[SCOPE, Spring 2002]

The Project Fix-it team and Davis Memorial Hospital employees pose before beginning to unload various construction, medical, and dental equipment. Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH, chancellor of Loma Linda University, is standing on the far right in the photo. Jim Redfield, special projects for the School of Dentistry, is second from the left. Jairo Ayala, engineering services, LLU, is on the far right, front row.

From November 2 to 15, a group of individuals from the United States, Australia, and Scotland volunteered at Davis Memorial Hospital in Georgetown, Guyana.

They were there as part of Project Fix-it to upgrade the hospital’s electrical system, install two dental operatories, and attend a health-training program graduation ceremony for high school students.

The group was comprised of Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH, chancellor, LLU; Robert Schoberth, Adventist Health Systems construction; Greg Batie, electrician, Seattle; Kelvin Sawyer, Australia; Jim Redfield, special projects, School of Dentistry; Jairo Ayala, engineering services, LLU; and Karen Simpson, RN, Scotland.

The Project Fix-it team was sent by Adventist Health International (AHI), an organization housed on the Loma Linda University campus. Since the organization began functioning in 1997, AHI has allowed partnering countries to establish a corporation with its own legal identity while maintaining the technical backing of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and Loma Linda.

Throughout its history, Loma Linda has assisted mission hospitals, and health-care professionals trained at LLU have served in countries around the globe. Dr. Hart and other campus leaders believe that a structured system could not only organize available resources but could draw upon the Church’s skilled membership and cooperate with sister institutions to save struggling clinics and hospitals and to help enhance the care they provide.

“A benefit of AHI,” says Dr. Hart, “is that the organization is able to utilize the skills of professionals who have worked for many years in their fields. These individuals are then able to experience the personal satisfaction that comes from participating in mission service.”

Each team member is an expert in his or her field, which makes it possible to accomplish a great deal of work in a short time.

According to Dr. Hart, planning is now underway for Project Fix-it teams to travel to additional sites around the globe helping with much-needed projects, such as construction and plumbing.

A special fund for AHI projects, including tax-deductible receipts, has been established at Loma Linda University.

[SCOPE, Spring 2002]