According to the World Health Organization, injuries account for an estimated 5 million deaths each year, nearly twice as many as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. On top of this staggering death toll, tens of millions of people each year suffer non-fatal injuries. Non-fatal injuries may result in chronic, non-healing wounds or permanent disability. The risks are especially high in resource-scarce countries, where injured individuals often face inadequate or delayed access to care.
HVO partners with the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) to improve the availability and quality of wound care and lymphedema management in resource-scarce countries. Our wound care volunteers include physicians, nurses, podiatrists, researchers, and physical and occupational therapists. These dedicated individuals provide clinical and didactic training to their colleagues at HVO project sites, leading to improvements in all aspects of wound care—from treating traumatic injuries to providing appropriate follow-up and ongoing rehabilitation services. As a result, patients are not only more likely to survive, but to experience an improved quality of life.
The health workers at HVO’s wound care project sites are tasked with treating the world’s poorest and most vulnerable patients without the resources and technologies that providers in high-income countries take for granted. HVO volunteers have a critical role to play—empowering these health workers to treat and manage wounds that previously seemed untreatable.
“A staff member came and thanked me for the lecture on ‘Fungating Tumors’ saying he never knew what to do before when faced with all the issues of a leaking, smelly, painful, large, scary looking wound that was at risk of bleeding. He felt all he could do was say, ‘it will be ok.’ But now he feels confident he will be able deal with it much more effectively,” wrote Angela Tate, RN, after a 2015 trip to Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope (SHCH) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
As with all of HVO’s program areas, our wound care volunteers report that they learn as much as they teach on their overseas assignments. Renee Cordrey, PT, PhD, MSPT, MPH, CWS, chair of HVO’s Wound Management Steering Committee, recalled being inspired by the local providers she worked with at SHCH during a podcast interview recorded in April 2017. In particular, Dr. Cordrey was impressed by the resourcefulness and creativity of her Cambodian colleagues, who were able to deliver high-quality care despite limited access to supplies and equipment.
“It was very empowering to see that you can have such a huge impact with very little material supplies. The most valuable resource is your brain,” she reflected. This lesson stuck with her when she returned home. She recalls drawing on her overseas experience as an example when training colleagues in the US.
If you are interested in broadening your global health perspective while helping to advance the science and practice of wound care in resource-scarce settings, consider volunteering at one of our wound care project sites. There is a current need for volunteers at SHCH, as well as Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, Haiti.
AAWC members may be eligible for a travel grant to offset the costs of their assignment. Applications for these grants are accepted on a rolling basis. Detailed application instructions can be found on our Fellowships & Funding page.
Not a wound care specialist? Use our Project Finder to discover the HVO project that is just right for you!