Speaking of Madagascar, many people are perhaps new to this country. In the country of 25.68 million (2018), only 40% of the population have access to safe drinking water, the physician density is 1 physician per 10,000 population, and the hospital bed density is 1 bed per 2,000 population.

Scenery of Madagascar (photo from an online source)

The lagging economy and the lack of medical resources have deprived many people of medical treatment opportunities. Recently, a medical team consisting of four physicians - Pedro Nogales, Marta Vinyals, María Escudero, and Rafael Rayo, came to Madagascar with VINNO's portable ultrasound machine. They were about to embark on a touching and adventurous medical aid trip there.

Struggles behind the magnificent scenery

Upon setting foot in Madagascar, the medical team members were amazed by the phenomenal scenery, but what they saw more behind this was struggles for existence. Many local children were suffering from foot deformities, and the medical team came to an orphanage called Stella Maris.

The medical team set foot in Madagascar

Among the received patients was a eight-year-old boy, who had had a fractured tibia for four months and was also found to have infection. When the physician asked the boy's mother why she didn't take him to the hospital for treatment, she answered: "We have no money, and we have more children to support." When the physician further explained to the mother the seriousness of her boy's illness, she once again said no. The physician had to respect the mother's decision, and offered the boy the best possible treatment.

The physician diagnosing a child using an ultrasound machine

On the same day, the team also received a 70-year-old woman. She was sitting in a wheelchair with a mosquito net on her right foot and a blanket covered on it. Many flies were buzzing around the old woman's right foot. It turned out that she was bitten by a mouse a month and a half ago. The physician gave her some antibiotics so she could be ready for further treatment.

A 70-year-old woman coming for treatment in a wheelchair

The physicians saw photos of local resorts hanging on the wall, but in front of them were a long line of poor residents who could not enjoy even the most basic medical services. There was an extreme lack of physicians specializing in treating foot diseases. The team members realized that they still had a long way to go for this aid trip.

A trip of twists and turns: blackout, hurricane, and rejection

Due to limited conditions at the orphanage, only some basic treatment could be provided. The medical team, accompanied by the local staff, headed over to a provincial hospital in a hope to offer in-depth diagnosis and treatment to some special patients.

Local residents waiting in line for treatment

The resources at the provincial hospital, however, were not satisfying, either. The facilities were outdated and simple; the walls were dirty and even had blood stains on them; the smell was pungent due to the hot weather. When the physicians were led to the surgical area, they could not believe what they saw: rusty scalpels, workbenches with larvae crawling on them, tree branches growing from the ceiling, and more. Everything was frightening and shocking, and it even reminded the physicians of their days in refugee camps in Algeria.

Poor medical resources at the provincial hospital

This was obviously not a suitable place for surgical treatment, so the medical team attempted to search for a new place. They came to a well-equipped, Italian privately-funded hospital for assistance, but they were turned down. So they planned to take a 45-minute boat ride to another hospital in Madagascar.

Unfortunately, the medical team received a hurricane warning from an NGO, just on the day when they were ready to set out. This sudden change again disconcerted their free clinic trip. Prior to this, they also encountered a power blackout after a rainfall. All these filled the medical aid with twists and turns. For safety reasons, they could only help the patients as much as possible under limited conditions. Using the ultrasound machine, they scanned patients and assessed their condition to provide valuable information for surgical treatment.

Preserving the bright smile on each face

During the six-day free clinic trip, the medical team treated more than 200 patients and completed all possible operations. Nonetheless, they regretted that they failed to provide other patients with surgical opportunities due to the limited conditions.

The VINNO portable ultrasound machine used in this medical aid trip

The medical team was grateful to everyone who helped them make it through this less-than-perfect medical aid trip. They were especially thankful to VINNO for providing the portable ultrasound machine that made their jobs easier and more effective. Another thing that impressed them was the bright smiles of the children. Despite being orphans or tortured by illness, they were still optimistic and innocent.

Bright smiles of the children

This medical aid trip was one full of truly touching moments. We would like to pay our high tribute to the four angles in white. Besides, this trip is not a period, and we at VINNO will do our part to carry it on. With a mission to safeguard human health through innovation, we are proud to help preserve every bright smile in the name of love.