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17 Sept 2004: Alder Hey doctor’s charity mission to Europe’s poorest country
A paediatrician from Alder Hey is heading out
on a ground breaking mission to help his counterparts at a children’s hospital
in the former Soviet Union.
The World Bank ranks Moldova the poorest country in Europe, with
over half of the population living on less than a pound a day.
Consultant Paediatric Neurologist Dr Andrew Curran will next month
host a series of seminars for doctors at the country’s main
children’s hospital – the first step in forging a long
term educational exchange between Alder Hey and Moldova.
Dr Curran visited the Moldovan hospital on a fact-finding mission
late last year. He said: “The level of technology both in
quality and quantity is 20 to 30 years behind the United Kingdom.
This means that what are now routine, life saving procedures in
the UK cannot be carried out in Moldova.
“There are no acceptable theatre facilities and old fashioned
and often dilapidated beds and ward equipment. Despite this, the
doctors and nurses strive hard to deliver a service of high clinical
excellence.”
The lack of even basic equipment at the hospital has meant that
in the past doctors have had to write patient notes on the reverse
of used scraps of paper, or buy fresh supplies from their meagre
salaries. In addition to founding an educational link, the Alder
Hey-backed project will help address the Moldovan hospital’s
equipment needs. A future goal is to re fit an entire operating
theatre.
Dr Curran said: “The present operating theatres in the children’s
hospital belong in a Victorian melodrama.
“I was shocked by the lack of equipment that we take for
granted, and the appalling state of some of the clinical areas.
By appalling I don’t mean unclean or dirty – the staff
work extremely hard to try and preserve clinical levels of sanitation,
but with buildings in some places starting to actually fall apart,
this is always an uphill struggle.”
Dr Curran believes that educational exchanges with Moldova’s
doctors can also benefit medical practice in the UK. Moldova is
an agricultural nation with very low levels of industrial pollution.
As, sadly but inevitably, this balance shifts over the coming decades,
it will be possible to chart the change in occurrence of diseases
such as asthma, eczema and neurodisability which have been linked
to the introduction of such pollution.
Dr Curran’s visit to Moldova is being made in conjunction
with Moldova Aid Project (registered charity number 1063339) which
has previously sent lorry loads of humanitarian aid to help the
children’s hospital and other welfare projects.
If you would like to help fund Dr Curran’s seminars and
future work at the Moldovan hospital please send a donation to
Moldova Aid Project, sort code: 40-24-28, account number: 81109847,
or email the charity on mail@moldovaaidproject.org.uk.
Notes to editor
Moldova is a former Soviet state situated between Romania and
the Ukraine with a population of 4.3 million and a mix of Russian
and Romanian speaking people. It has been an independent republic
since 1991.
The children’s hospital Dr Curran will be visiting is called
The Hospital of the Mother and Child and is situated in Moldova’s
capital Chisinau (also known by its Russian name Kishinev). Alder
Hey is the first UK hospital to offer it regular support.
If you would like to interview Dr Andrew Curran or Moldova
Aid Project chairwoman Debbie Ward please contact
us.
Hi res images of the Moldovan hospital are available from by clicking
the Press
Photos link above.
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17 Sept 2004: Scotland’s football rivals are the poorest country
in Europe
The Scottish football team aren’t the only UK delegation with an important
fixture in Moldova next month. A UK paediatrician will be kicking off a charity
mission to help the former Soviet state’s main children’s hospital
and, like the footballers, he needs your support.
The World Bank ranks Moldova the poorest country in Europe, with over half of
the population living on less than a pound a day. The visiting UK doctor, from
Liverpool’s Alder Hey children’s hospital, will be holding seminars
for his Moldovan counterparts. These will mark the start of a long-term project
to establish educational exchanges and provide vital equipment for Moldova’s
children’s hospital.
Consultant Paediatric Neurologist Dr Andrew Curran has already visited the Moldovan
hospital on a fact-finding mission. He said: “The level of technology both
in quality and quantity is 20 to 30 years behind the United Kingdom. This means
that what are now routine, life saving procedures in the UK cannot be carried
out in Moldova.
“There are no acceptable theatre facilities and old fashioned and often
dilapidated beds and ward equipment. Despite this, the doctors and nurses strive
hard to deliver a service of high clinical excellence.”
The lack of even basic equipment at the hospital has meant that in the past doctors
have had to write patient notes on the reverse of used scraps of paper, or buy
fresh supplies from their meagre salaries. In addition to addressing such everyday
needs, a future goal is to re fit an entire operating theatre.
Curran said: “The present operating theatres in the children’s hospital
belong in a Victorian melodrama.
“I was shocked by the lack of equipment that we take for granted, and the
appalling state of some of the clinical areas. By appalling I don’t mean
unclean or dirty – the staff work extremely hard to try and preserve clinical
levels of sanitation, but with buildings in some places starting to actually
fall apart, this is always an uphill struggle.”
Curran believes that educational exchanges with Moldova’s doctors can also
benefit medical practice in the UK. Moldova is an agricultural nation with very
low levels of industrial pollution. As, sadly but inevitably, this balance shifts
over the coming decades, it will be possible to chart the change in occurrence
of diseases such as asthma, eczema and neurodisability which have been linked
to the introduction of such pollution.
Dr Curran’s visit to Moldova is being made in conjunction with Moldova
Aid Project (registered charity number 1063339) which has previously sent lorry
loads of humanitarian aid to help the children’s hospital and other welfare
projects.
If you would like to help fund next month’s seminars and future work at
the Moldovan hospital please send a donation to Moldova Aid Project, sort code:
40-24-28, account number: 81109847, or email the charity on mail@moldovaaidproject.org.uk
Notes to editor
Moldova is a former Soviet state situated between Romania and the Ukraine with
a population of 4.3 million and a mix of Russian and Romanian speaking people.
It has been an independent republic since 1991.
The children’s hospital the paediatricians will be visiting is called The
Hospital of the Mother and Child and is situated in Moldova’s capital Chisinau
(also known by its Russian name Kishinev)
If you would like to interview Dr Andrew Curran or Moldova
Aid Project chairwoman Debbie Ward please contact
us.
Hi res images of the Moldovan hospital are
available upon request.
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