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Mission of Russian Medical Volunteers to Save Thousands of African Lives, Doctor Says

On July 4, a press conference was held for the International Volunteer Program "Mission Dobro" ("Mission Good" in Russian), under which Russian specialists in nursing and neonatal care will visit Zambia for the first time this November.
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The knowledge that Russian doctors bring to Africa "will save thousands of lives, because through the hands of their doctors, people will live and be healthy," Ekaterina Glock, head of the medical mission of the World Christian Association of Parliamentarians, "Volunteers of Peace," told Sputnik Africa.
She also noted that the experience of Russian specialists is most needed in obstetrics and neonatology.

"In many African countries, there is not a single neonatologist for the entire multimillion population. And, of course, obstetrics suffers greatly; many mistakes are made, leading to the death of mothers who could have lived. They didn't actually have any pathological situations during childbirth. But unfortunately, a woman loses her life even though she is often the mother of many children, with an average of about 10 children per woman. She loses her life because of insufficient knowledge among medical staff," she explained.

The experience of working in three African countries has shown Glock that there is an enormous amount of work to be done by volunteers. There are also significant issues with equipment, and "Africa needs training on how to use this equipment," she added.

"We were in three countries where we trained medical staff, conducted workshops, and taught even basic things, like the proper use of antiseptics. A huge number of premature babies die because they contract infections through hands due to a lack of understanding," Glock underlined.

Despite fears and prejudices, many doctors dream of returning to Africa, the obstetrician noted.

"I was also afraid to go there, but now I'm in love with Africa. All the doctors who have already visited Africa with us are eagerly awaiting when we will go on this mission again to bring goodness, see this beautiful country again, and meet these kind, responsive people. I certainly invite all willing professionals to join us, because once you visit Africa, you will fall in love with it forever," she added.

According to her, Africans are very eager for knowledge and always greet them warmly.

"Unfortunately, they have nowhere to gain knowledge because they can't travel to other countries due to financial constraints and limited documentation. But they absorb this knowledge greedily. They sing us songs of gratitude during our training sessions; they hug us, kiss us, and plead for us to return. So, of course, don't be afraid; join us," she concluded.

“Mission Dobro” in Zambia will start its work in November 2024. The project is supported by the Russian Embassy, the Russian humanitarian cooperation agency Rossotrudnichestvo, the Association of Volunteer Centers, and the Presidential Grants Fund.