Riders for Health featured on RX for Survival
Summary
TLDRThe video script highlights the critical issue of geographical barriers in global health, particularly in Africa, where millions live far from health clinics. It tells the story of Sally Kamra from The Gambia, whose daughter died due to lack of timely transportation to a hospital. In response, the Gambian government partnered with Riders for Health, a nonprofit that provides motorcycle ambulances, like the innovative 'Uru' sidecar. The script also covers Riders' efforts in training local technicians and health workers, emphasizing the importance of appropriate technology and maintenance in saving lives across Africa.
Takeaways
- 🚑 Geography is a significant barrier to global health, particularly in Africa where many live in rural areas far from health clinics.
- 🛣️ Lack of infrastructure, including paved roads and public transportation, exacerbates the difficulty of accessing healthcare in emergencies.
- 🏥 The absence of ambulance services in remote areas can lead to tragic outcomes, as illustrated by the story of Sally Kamra's daughter.
- 🤝 The Gambian government is taking action by partnering with Riders for Health, a nonprofit that provides transportation systems for health programs.
- 🏍️ Riders for Health has developed a sidecar called 'Uru' that can transform a motorcycle into an ambulance, offering a practical solution for rural areas.
- 🔧 The organization not only provides vehicles but also trains local technicians to maintain them, ensuring reliability and reducing breakdowns.
- 🛠️ Appropriate vehicle use is emphasized, with training for health workers that includes both medical knowledge and vehicle maintenance.
- 🏍️ Motorcycles are particularly effective in off-road conditions, where four-wheeled vehicles may struggle, making them ideal for reaching remote communities.
- 👩⚕️ Health workers like Mano Jba rely on motorcycles to make crucial home visits, especially for maternal and infant care in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- 🔧 Riders for Health also trains health workers in basic motorcycle maintenance and repair, which is crucial for the continuous operation of their vehicles.
- 🌍 The initiative by Riders for Health has the potential to save millions of lives by bridging the gap between health providers and those in need across Africa.
Q & A
What are some of the barriers to success in global health mentioned in the script?
-The script mentions financial, political, and geographical barriers to success in global health, with a particular focus on the challenges of reaching health clinics in rural areas due to scarce paved roads and public transportation.
Why is geography considered an obstacle in Africa's healthcare?
-Geography is an obstacle because millions of people in Africa live in rural areas, often tens or hundreds of miles away from health clinics, making it difficult to access healthcare facilities quickly, especially during medical emergencies.
What is the significance of the Gambian government's contract with Riders for Health?
-The contract signifies a proactive step by the Gambian government to address transportation challenges in healthcare by partnering with Riders for Health, a nonprofit that specializes in setting up transportation systems for health programs in Africa.
What is the 'Yuru' and how does it transform a motorcycle into an ambulance?
-The 'Yuru' is a special sidecar developed by Riders for Health that can be attached to a motorcycle, transforming it into an ambulance capable of carrying a patient lying flat or seated upright, thus providing a more dignified and practical mode of transport compared to traditional methods like wheelbarrows.
Why was the Yuru's creation significant for Africa, according to the script?
-The Yuru's creation is significant because it is a solution made in Africa for Africa, addressing the specific transportation needs for healthcare in the region by utilizing locally available resources and technology.
How does Riders for Health support health organizations in Africa?
-Riders for Health supports health organizations by managing all transport for the Ministry of Health, training local technicians to maintain vehicles, preventing breakdowns, and keeping an inventory of spare parts to ensure mobility for health workers.
What role do off-road motorcycles play in healthcare delivery in Africa according to the script?
-Off-road motorcycles play a crucial role in healthcare delivery by allowing health workers to reach remote areas where four-wheeled vehicles cannot, at a fraction of the cost, and with greater mobility.
Why is training in motorcycle maintenance and repair important for health workers in Africa?
-Training in motorcycle maintenance and repair is important because it ensures that health workers can keep their vehicles in good condition, reducing the risk of breakdowns that could delay critical healthcare services, especially in areas where professional repair services are scarce.
What challenges does the script highlight for female health workers learning to ride motorcycles in Africa?
-The script highlights societal perceptions and resistance as challenges for female health workers learning to ride motorcycles, with some people finding it unusual or even inappropriate for women to ride motorcycles, despite the practical benefits it brings to their work.
How does the script describe the potential impact of building transportation systems in Africa?
-The script describes the potential impact of building transportation systems in Africa as having the potential to save millions of lives by bridging the gap between health providers and people in need, emphasizing the importance of mobility in healthcare delivery.
What is the significance of the Yuru's arrival in the village of Mandari in the script?
-The Yuru's arrival in Mandari signifies a new beginning for the village, providing them with a much-needed ambulance and a means to improve access to healthcare, especially in light of the recent tragic death of a villager due to lack of timely medical care.
Outlines
🚑 Overcoming Geographical Barriers in Global Health
This paragraph discusses the significant challenges posed by geography in global health, particularly in Africa, where millions live in rural areas far from health clinics. The scarcity of paved roads and public transportation makes accessing hospitals during medical emergencies difficult. The narrative focuses on the tragic story of Sally Kamra from The Gambia, whose daughter died due to the lack of timely transportation to a hospital. This has prompted the Gambian government to partner with Riders for Health, a nonprofit that operates transportation systems for health programs in Africa. The paragraph introduces the 'Yuru,' a motorcycle sidecar designed to serve as an ambulance, which is a locally made solution to improve accessibility to healthcare.
🛠️ Empowering Health Workers with Mobility Solutions
The second paragraph highlights the importance of mobility for health workers in Africa, emphasizing that without the ability to reach patients, their work is significantly hindered. It tells the story of Mano Jba, a community health nurse who struggled without a motorcycle but now, with one, can effectively make crucial home visits. The paragraph also discusses the role of Riders for Health in training local technicians and health workers in vehicle maintenance to prevent breakdowns, which is vital in a region where a simple fan belt can be the difference between life and death. The narrative underscores the transformative impact of off-road motorcycles on health workers' ability to serve their communities effectively.
🏥 Establishing Sustainable Transportation Systems in Africa
The final paragraph underscores the potential of building sustainable transportation systems in Africa to save millions of lives. It discusses the broader implications of the 'Yuru' ambulance's introduction to The Gambia, symbolizing a new beginning for the village of Mandari, which recently experienced a tragic loss due to lack of transportation. The paragraph concludes with a forward-looking perspective on the importance of not only introducing innovative solutions like the 'Yuru' but also ensuring their effective maintenance and use by local communities. It emphasizes the ongoing work required to make such initiatives successful and the broader goal of bridging the gap between health providers and those in need across the African continent.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Global Health
💡Barriers to Success
💡Infrastructure
💡Rural Areas
💡Medical Emergency
💡Riders for Health
💡Uru
💡Health Workers
💡Maintenance
💡Community Health Nurse
💡Technology
Highlights
Geography is a significant barrier to global health in Africa, with many people living far from health clinics.
Lack of paved roads and public transportation makes it difficult for people to reach hospitals in medical emergencies.
The absence of infrastructure, including transportation and communication, is a challenge in many developing countries.
The Gambian government has taken action by signing a contract with Riders for Health to improve transportation systems.
Riders for Health is a nonprofit organization that runs transportation systems for health programs in Africa.
The organization has developed a special sidecar called 'Yuru' that can transform a motorcycle into an ambulance.
The Yuru can carry a patient lying flat or seated upright, offering a significant improvement over traditional transport methods.
Riders for Health was founded by Barry and Andrea Coleman, inspired by their experiences with broken-down vehicles in Africa.
The organization helps health organizations keep their vehicles running in areas with limited service facilities or technicians.
Riders for Health trains local technicians to maintain vehicles and prevent breakdowns, which can be life-saving.
The organization promotes the use of vehicles appropriate for African terrain, including training health workers in vehicle maintenance.
Off-road motorcycles can reach areas where four-wheeled vehicles falter, at a fraction of the cost.
Health workers like Mano Jba rely on motorcycles to make crucial home visits, especially in rural areas.
Riders for Health technicians service vehicles in the field and train health workers in basic motorcycle maintenance.
The introduction of the Yuru in The Gambia marks a new beginning for the village of Mandari, which recently experienced a tragic death due to lack of transportation.
The success of Riders for Health relies on proper vehicle maintenance and training for those who will use the Yuru as an ambulance.
Building transportation systems throughout Africa could save millions of lives by bridging the gap between health providers and people in need.
Transcripts
there are many barriers to success in
global Health some Financial some
political and one that lies right
beneath our
feet in Africa geography is an
obstacle millions of people live in
rural areas tens or hundreds of miles
from a health
[Music]
clinic paved roads and public
Transportation are
scarce and in a medical emergency people
have few options for reaching a hospital
in a
hurry one of the things to remember in
uh many developing countries is just the
absence or weakness of infrastructure
and by that I mean Transportation links
I mean communication links I mean human
links in Western Africa in The Gambia
Sally kamra lives in a remote Village
that has no
ambulance a month ago her pregnant
daughter went into labor and suddenly
developed
complications my daughter needed to go
to the hospital but we could not find a
car in time to take
her she gave birth to this child at home
but with great trouble and
pain 4 days later her daughter's pain
grew unbearable Sally managed to hire a
taxi but on the long drive to the
hospital her daughter
died if we' had proper Transportation
this would not have
happened Sally's tragic story and
thousands just like it have moved the
gambian government to
action its Ministry of Health recently
signed a contract with writers for
health this nonprofit organization runs
transportation systems for health
programs in
Africa maybe today rare cargo arrives
from its office in
Zimbabwe the founders of riders for
health Barry and Andrea Coleman
developed a special side car that
transforms a motorcycle into an
ambulance don't hold this they named the
device the yuru which means freedom in
swah
healing this is the first one to come
out of Zimbabwe into another country and
the f this is the first country of lots
of countries I think it's made in Africa
for Africa and that's a really exciting
idea for us so there we are who wants to
try
it you don't have to do it the uru can
carry a patient lying flat or seated
upright how much better is that than
going to hospital in a wheelbarrow wheel
barers are
out we'll let you out now
[Music]
the inspiration for this versatile
vehicle goes back to the Coleman's first
[Music]
love Andrea used to race motorcycles
professionally Barry was a journalist
who followed the
sport in 1988 he traveled to Africa for
an article about a humanitarian
organization the trip changed his life
we saw all sorts of broken down
motorcycles and much more expensive
Vehicles stranded out in some Hospital
compound you know a $30,000 vehicle
stopped for because you know there's an
HT lead missing you know you know $15
part so something very wrong with this
picture what are we going to do about
it the Coleman's founded Riders to help
health organizations keep their vehicles
running in places with virtually no
service facilities or
technicians here in The Gambia Riders
Personnel manage all transport for the
Ministry of
Health they train local technicians to
maintain vehicles and prevent
breakdowns they keep their own inventory
of spare
parts a simple fan belt could mean the
difference between life and death yeah
ryers also promotes the use of vehicles
that are appropriate for Africa which
means training health workers in more
than just
medicine are you very scared
[Laughter]
yeah feet up a trainee takes his first
writing lesson from moal
MOS let this go just let it go people
come with preconceived ideas that they
will not be able to balance they will
fall off I'm still holding to you don't
worry about it yeah but everybody's born
with a sense of balance you remember how
to
stop I used to be a health worker and
I've been in situations where I was not
able to go to the people I was supposed
to save so all in general it means
without Mobility an Outreach Health
worker is almost useless okay off you
go that's a I don't like cuz I think
he's going to go all the way into the
wall great you can come back
now learning to ride over rough terrain
can take
time but for health workers who mastered
the skill it's almost like having
wings an off-road motorcycle can travel
where a for four wheeel vehicle with
falter and at a fraction of the
[Music]
cost a pair of Wheels has become an
essential tool for community health
nurse Mano
jba for the first two years I was not
having any motorcycle there was no
Mobility I used to walk to go and
supervise my traditional V
attendance but now since I get the
motorcycle I I've never failed
appointment with
them mono cares for pregnant women and
infants in over a dozen
Villages home visits are crucial in
subsaharan Africa one in 16 mothers dies
in childbirth
some 15,000 people count on Mana so she
can't afford any
breakdowns which is why riders for
health sends technicians into the field
to service its
Vehicles technicians also train health
workers in basic Motorcycle Maintenance
and
Repair in The Gambia these are rare
skills for a woman
some people they find it funny to see a
female riding a
motorcycle even my mom she was
complaining that I shouldn't ride a
motorcycle I told her well it's part of
my job I have to do
it it's difficult to persuade people
that what we're doing is really a
solution to many of the health issues in
Africa because they see people living in
13th century conditions so they make an
assumption that what's appropriate is a
13th century solution an ox cart a
donkey
cart whereas we know that what's
appropriate to save lives is to use 21
century technology properly managed you
can't save a child unless you can reach
her writers for health does a remarkable
job at something that is relatively
simple relatively inexpensive but has
the potential for spreading an effect
all over the African
continent a week after its arrival in
The Gambia the Uhuru is ready for its
new home riders for health will donate
it to the Village of
mandari 20 M from the nearest hospital
mandari was recently struck by tragic
try the death of Sally Kam's
daughter but today there's reason to
celebrate a village crier spreads the
news the yuru is on its way
[Music]
[Applause]
[Applause]
[Music]
the auru arrival marks A New Beginning
for M
AR for Sally kamra the day is
Bittersweet I'm sad because we might
have saved my daughter if we'd had a
vehicle like this
but I'm happy too our village finally
has an
[Music]
ambulance now comes the hard bit the
maintenance for the people who are
driving it to learn how to use it as an
ambulance and all those things and we
know from experience that well yeah it's
a great beginning but there's a lot of
work to come
[Music]
[Applause]
building Transportation Systems
throughout Africa could save millions of
lives Bridging the Gap between Health
Providers and people in need
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