Grenada has taken a significant step forward in enhancing its healthcare system through a partnership with the Afya Foundation, facilitated by the Grenada Diaspora Advisory Council. The collaboration aims to strengthen primary healthcare services in the island nation, with the first container of medical supplies, valued at US$100,000, arriving in February 2024.
The donated supplies, which include wound care, pediatric labs, and surgical equipment, will be distributed among Grenada’s 36 primary healthcare facilities. This initiative is expected to alleviate the burden on the General Hospital and improve overall healthcare accessibility and efficiency by redistributing services to the community level.
The Grenada Diaspora Advisory Council played a crucial role in establishing this partnership, highlighting the potential of the Grenadian diaspora to contribute to the nation’s development. The council aims to match the diaspora’s expertise with Grenada’s needs, fostering a resilient and prosperous nation.
The Afya Foundation, known for its mission to redistribute surplus medical supplies to areas in need, has collaborated with 84 countries, including Grenada. By diverting over a million pounds of usable supplies from landfills annually, Afya addresses critical healthcare needs in developing countries while promoting environmental sustainability.
This partnership serves as a model for how small island nations can innovate in healthcare delivery through strategic collaborations and diaspora engagement. The success of this initiative may inspire similar efforts in other countries, potentially transforming healthcare landscapes across the globe.
Field Notes from Grenada
by Danielle Butin, Founder and CEO, Afya Foundation
Heather Clark (Afya’s Chief of Programs) and I recently did what we do well together — travel to a nation we aim to support, authentically ask people in many different health care settings what they need, listen carefully, and then head home to pack the supplies needed. The voices of those on the ground, delivering care, should dictate the entirety of shipment manifests. The goal of this visit was to meet the nurses we will supply so they can better help the thousands they care for steadily.
With the support and investment of the Prime Minister, Minister of Health and Grenada Diaspora Advisory Council, we visited the general hospital, and medical centers and stations island wide.
Memorable Moments
One nurse remarked “We really need gloves and run out often.” We asked what she does when they run out and she responded, “We do no touch care.”
At another site, we saw metal bowls of instruments and gauze/cotton balls heading for the sterilizer. I asked about this and the nurse responded, “We don’t have enough so we need to autoclave all of our gauze.”
At a center nestled in the north, deep in the mountains, when we asked a nurse what she needed, she responded, “It’s such a strange question, I don’t think about what I need, I just adapt to what is.”
This is where Afya comes in. No longer do these remarkable healthcare professionals need to minimize their professional needs. Afya’s supplies can impact the stories of generations to follow.
Our first of many containers just arrived in Grenada. Many of the nurses we met will benefit from the first round of deliveries. Adapting in life is important and a glimpse at resilience. And we can do better for health providers here. It’s ok to need, be heard and supported.
A few months from now, healthcare in Grenada could be very different. The right supplies, when needed most, can catalyze everything!
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Danielle’s Field Notes from Grenada
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