Issue no 2, 1999 -- English edition -- home
Page: -- Contents -- (1), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
A new initiative has been taken to secure the Rotary Doctor Bank's future and development. Many strong driving forces in Rotary are behind this: initially Governor Kurt Boström, from Landskrona, Sweden, and now among others Governor Kjell-Åke Åkesson, from Hörby. The idea is that all Rotary clubs in the Nordic countries get involved by making the Doctor Bank a so-called multi-district project. If - or when - this is realized, then over 67,000 Rotarians will directly support the Rotary Doctor Bank.
"I am very optimistic," says Kjell-Åke Åkesson in District 2390, which has administered the Doctor Bank since its inception in 1988. "There is a positive attitude in the Swedish clubs, and I am convinced that the same can be said of the other Nordic countries."
New in the Doctor Bank is Rune Gullberg, President of the Malmö-Möllevången Rotary Club. He has assumed the task of pursuing an earlier idea of having contact persons for the Doctor Bank in all the clubs and work with them. He is also the Doctor Bank representative in the Wasa Development Aid Fund, which pays out 2 percent out of the yield of the money invested in the Doctor Bank account. In 1998, the Doctor Bank received 101,000 Swedish Crowns, but it would be much more if everyone kept their savings there or participated.
| Here comes the jeep-doctor. It takes training and skill to drive on roads that look like this. |
| Maternal and child welfare - an important part of Doctor Bank work, seen here with Kenyan staff. |
"I had a long preparation for my assignment as jeep-doctor," explains Charlotte Almkvist, from Saltsjöbaden, Sweden. "I received a 12 week course at ICH in Uppsala (health care in low-income countries). In addition, I received thorough jeep training at SWEDINT."With this sound education, I felt well prepared for my coming work in Kenya. In my ordinary work as district medical officer at Fisksätra Care Centre, I am responsible for the African segment of the population, and my interest for Africa has grown ever stronger.
"The first few days I could hardly assimilate all the overpowering impressions - the green, beautiful landscape, the friendly people, and all the happy waving children who shouted 'Hello, how are you?' Out in the clinics I met another side of Kenya: extreme poverty, severe diseases and undernourished children."
There may be more relays with dentists. Ingvar Persson, from Varberg, Sweden, has been out for six weeks at two hospitals where there now is dental equipment, though not complete: Mukumo, where also our ear specialists work, and Eldama Ravine, a hospital run by a Catholic nun order.
"My experiences have been very positive," notes Ingvar Persson, "and the effort has really felt meaningful. I hope that the Doctor Bank is in future able to send dentists continuously to these hospitals. I am myself interested in returning."
As much else, an increase of dentist relays depends on financing. If, as we hope, the Doctor Bank receives support from all Nordic Rotarians, there will be more relays with both jeep-doctors and dentists.
Jeep-doctor Harold Sihm, from Färila, Sweden, writes in his report of the impressions after seeing a part of Africa.
"Mashuru Jeep Line among the Masai was in many ways a powerful experience - not the least for the rain season's fantastic, often illusory 'roads'. The grand undulating landscape, the infinite green plain, the ubiquitous solitary trees and the trumpet-formed white flowers, and - the silence. There is a calm like that of a grandiose English park, but with the smell of the original Africa."However, the greatest experience was meeting the population. A 'primitive people' that, with dignity, tries to live as their ancestors did. It is with sadness one considers their future."