The Voom Foundation

“Expenses office 296 travel 42,799 conferences/meetings 2,664 bank charges 12 freight - medical equip 9,734 hospital patient release 3,848 medical supplies, equip 77,935 other costs 983 website costs 196 total 138,467”

“Mission voom foundations mission is to provide impartial sustainable healthcare programs dedicated to quality, with a particular interest in supporting the underprivileged and underserved. Vision in the effort to fulfill this mission and continuously improve our programs, the board of directors and our volunteers are committed to the following values and principles: voom foundation will be a state-of-the-science healthcare and health access facilitator for its intended beneficiaries and a learning source for others in the provision of healthcare to patients. The vincent obioma ohaju memorial (voom) foundation was established to raise standard of care and create a sustainable medical institution in nigeria. Voom foundation was born from the vision of dr. Vincent ohaju, medical director for trauma services at chi st. Joseph health in bryan, texas. Originally from the town of ihitte, in south eastern nigeria, dr. Ohaju had personally witnessed the effects of inadequate available medical care on friends and family. His father, vincent obioma ohaju passed away in 1983 at the age of 56 due to complications from pulmonary aspiration. A simple procedure such as bronchosocopy readily available in even the smallest hospital in the united states could have prevented his demise. It was a close and personal reminder to dr. Ohaju that over 95% of the people in nigeria live without essential medical services. In 2016 the world health organization ranked nigeria 187 out of 190 countries in healthcare. The nigerian healthcare system is poorly developed and suffers from several recent epidemics. Despite nigerians strategic position in africa, the country is greatly underserved in the healthcare sphere. Health facilities, expertise, personnel, medical equipment and major diagnostic modalities are inadequate, especially in rural areas. We are guided by the following principles: voom foundation aids populations with medical needs without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation. Voom foundation observes neutrality and impartiality in the name of universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian assistance and demands full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its functions. Voom foundations volunteers work hard to respect their professional code of ethics and to maintain complete independence from all political, economic and religious powers. As volunteers, members are aware of the risks and dangers of the mission they undertake, and have no right to compensation for themselves or their beneficiaries other than that which the voom foundation can afford them. Dr. Ohaju believes those who can change a desperate situation have an obligation to try.”

“Mission work our inaugural voom foundation medical mission took place in may 2011. Although, this mission was educational only, voom sent a team of eight volunteers to the university of nigeria teaching hospital, enugu. The mission opened a networking relationship between voom foundation and nigerian medical practitioners and formed the foundation for the subsequent clinical missions. Since then, each voom medical mission typically includes a group of up to 15 medical volunteers from across the nation recently expanding to include teams with members from united kingdom and pakistan. Each trip is approximately two weeks long and includes evaluation of patients and confirmation of diagnoses. Each mission involves cardiac surgeons, a cardiologist, an intensivist, an anesthesiologist, perfusion team, a respiratory therapist, icu nurses and a biomedical engineer. Each medical volunteer joins the mission with the intention to provide medical expertise and knowledge, teaching best practices to the local medical staff. In august 2015, the local team performed the first unassisted open-heart surgery since the clinical missions began in 2013. Although this is a huge accomplishment, voom continues to pursue the mission of educating nigerian medical practitioners to allow them to advance standard of care. During a mission, our medical volunteers expand voom reach by performing more than just heart surgery. In order to impact change and be in line with our mission to reach indigent patients in need, voom volunteers engage in the following activities during their two week stay: heart surgeries as of april 2017, 165 open heart surgeries have been performed by voom volunteer medical teams. Medical supplies & equipment tens of thousands of dollars of medical supplies and equipment is shipped to nigeria from voom foundation yearly. Voom equipped two operating theatres and four icu beds with ventilators and drips allowing unth to conduct heart surgery throughout duration of the year. Education & training over 300 prospective and current nigerian medical practitioners attended training conducted by the voom foundation volunteers, so the good works can continue long after the mission. Voom training provides: managing all levels of critically ill patients retooling intensive care units emergency training emergency room management biomedical technology health fair to expand our reach and serve the indigenous people of nigeria during each mission, voom foundation medical staff travels to the rural areas to conduct health fairs. Both adult and pediatric patients come to see the staff for well-checks. Those needing additional diagnostics are referred to university of nigeria teaching hospital for further examination. Screening for diabetes and hypertension are conducted free of charge. Eye examinations are conducted and over 500 pairs of eye are handed out. Voom foundation brings and dispenses much needed medicines such as antibiotics, pain relievers, cold remedies, blood-pressure medicines, medicines for diabetes, malaria and parasites. Over 500 toothbrushes are given to adults and children. Fun activities for children are always a huge hit at the health fair. Patient release voom foundation medical volunteers visit indigent patients in the hospital wards that cannot afford to pay their hospital bill. In nigeria, patients who are unable to pay are required to stay in a ward at the hospital until such debts are settled. Voom volunteers visit patients and evaluate their medical conditions to see if discharge is a feasible option for a positive outcome. If so, medical staff and voom foundation pay off the patients balance so the patient can be released to their homes and heal in the care of their families.”