Students delivered the Physician Travel Packs purchased from Health Partners International, to the St. Andrews Hospital. Each pack consists of two boxes and costs $575, which covers the administrative costs. All the medications are donated by Canadian Pharmaceutical Companies and are valued at $10,000. We were fortunate to have Abbott Laboratories and the VCTA each sponsor a pack.

Donated Medications presented to the hospital

The medications were presented to the Administrator and staff at St Andrews. We were given assurance that the medications would be provided at no cost to the patients, which is the one condition that Health Partners International insists upon.

During our first three days we all experienced mixed emotions. Four of the six of us have now donated blood and now understand what it means to give the “gift of life”! Our blood has been donated to six children who have all recovered well from severe Malaria and Sickle Cell Anemia, and have been discharged home. Watching the students gain confidence daily has been a real thrill. They are managing to provide health teaching despite the language barrier. They are starting IV’s, using gloves as tourniquets, cutting 4X4’s into small pieces to make them go further, and removing sutures using scalpel blades. They are applying their knowledge and the hospital staff are seeking their opinions and input. You would all be very proud of how they are representing the Nursing Department at Vanier.