... a non-profit voluntary organisation seeking to assist health work in developing countries through supplying surplus
medical and dental supplies and equipment as well as providing backup support where appropriate.

2007 Annual Report Published

Dear MAA supporter

I’ve just finished loading up a van with 28 cartons of nurses’ uniforms, surgical gloves crepe bandages and antibiotics ready for delivery to the airforce base at Whenuapai. Within a few days they’ll be safely packed into the hold of a RNZAF Hercules, on their way to Arawa Health Centre, Bougainville.  MAA has been able to support this centre over the past few years through links with Llane and Don Hadden, New Zealand volunteers working with VSA in Arawa.  MAA acts as the ‘middle-man’, facilitating the links between requesting agency, pharmaceutical companies and other donor organisations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Royal NZ Air Force, to enable such support to occur.

It’s projects such as this, just one of a number of similar efforts we’ve arranged this year, that make MAA so worthwhile.  Other examples this year include

·        a container of medical and surgical supplies and hospital equipment shipped to Vietnam in July.  David Morris and a small team of helpers put in a huge effort to get this very worthwhile project organised.

·        In August over 20 cartons of much-needed antibiotics went to East Timor.  Jack Milford, a NZ policeman serving with the Civilian Police in Oecussi (an East Timorese enclave within West Timor) made the linkages for us with International Medical Corp, a medical aid organisation running the only health centre in this remote and otherwise underserved area. 

So far this year, more than 30 consignments of medical, surgical and dental supplies have been put together for health programmes in countries as far flung as Mozambique and Mongolia.

 

Pharmaceutical companies - partners in aid

We have been very fortunate to receive donations of drugs from pharmaceutical companies.  Recently, large quantities of much-needed antibiotics have come to us from SKB and Alpha Pharmaceuticals.   These are high-quality, in-date broad spectrum antibiotics in great demand by health services in the developing world.  We are very grateful for such donations, which enable us to arrange supplies to recipients.

Beyond 2000

Restructuring is part of the modern way of life for almost every organisation and MAA is no exception.  Much has changed since MAA’s inception over 30 years ago in Christchurch.  All the original Trustees have died. The Auckland branch is the only active branch now operating. 

In order to deal with this situation, we are currently setting MAA up afresh with a new trust deed with a new vision. The original vision of sorting and sending surplus pharmaceuticals to charitable hospitals abroad, while still relevant, will be widened to incorporate other areas of support for health work in developing countries.  The name ‘Medical Aid Abroad’, however, will remain - it still captures more than adequately what we are doing and plan to do in future.

Getting wired

Have you visited MAA’s web site (www.maa.org.nz) recently?  We have included links to other medical aid-related sites where you can explore aid and development issues, medical aid job vacancies, international guidelines for drug donations and many other interesting and useful issues and items.

 

If you have an email address, please let us know what it is so we can link up and keep you informed in this way.  It’s instant and labour-saving.

 Positive feedback

Thanks to those of you who have responded  - all favourably - to the first issue of our newsletter.  Thanks also to Dr Bernie Brenner and his staff for arranging publication and distribution.

 Stop press!  New Dental Aid Trust established

Long-time MAA supporter and executive member Dr Newton Wickham, with the support of the Auckand Dental Association, has established a trust which will provide funds for purchasing dental supplies and equipment for the poor in overseas countries.   Thank you Wicky for your energy and enthusiasm!

 Rooms without a view

We have been delighted to hear that enlarged, more accessible rooms will become available shortly.  While they will be much better suited for receiving, storing and moving stock, we will have to give up the superb views of the city we have enjoyed from our current storerooms at the top of the Greenlane Hospital complex.   More news about the new rooms soon, once arrangements have been finalised.  Please note –volunteers will be needed for the move!

 Help wanted

Extra hands are always in demand to help with sorting and packing orders, and with clean up days. Dentists and pharmacists please take note - we need more of you involved.

 Positions available

Doctors are urgently required for a clinic in Tonga and a rural hospital in Papua New Guinea.  Please contact Dr Chris Bullen or visit MAA’s website www.maa.org.nz for further details and links to other sites where information about short and long-term work opportunities for health care professionals can be found.

 Food for thought…

 If the world were a village of 1000 people what would it look like?

 One third would be children, and only half of these children would be immunised against preventable infections.  Two thirds of the total population would not have access to clean, safe drinking water.  Of the total budget of $3 million, the top 200 people would receive 75 per cent of the income, while the bottom 200 would receive 2 per cent.  Only $132000 would be spent on health care.  Twenty-eight babies would die, only three of who would be born to the richest 200.  Ten people would die, three from starvation and one from cancer.  One would be infected with the HIV virus, but would not develop AIDS until a later date.  

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