Griffith University team wrap up in Laos

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: Nursing, Health Promotion
WRITTEN BY: Jourdan Lofthouse, Griffith University

All good things come to an end, right? Well in our case, that's half correct. Group A have now left Laos leaving Group B to pick up where we left off. Group B will go deeper into the mountains and brave the cold.

Group A saw a total of 1350 villagers in some 10 villages. The most common complaint was back and neck pain (from farming for hours on end). We saw around 40 pregnant mothers and gave a month supply of folic acid and iron. Jess, midwifery student was able to perfect her auscultation skills without the mod cons we are normally afforded in Australia. I know you are wondering about the two patients we sent to Luang Prabang to get treated. Well so are we! The hernia repair and cataract removal have been completed but yet to know of the recovery process.

Group B will be following this closely and providing further assistance in the form of medication and pain relief when they arrive. The goodbye and bhasee ceremony was an incredible spiritual journey of health and happiness well wishes. It was sad to say goodbye but so rewarding to know we made such a huge impact.

On reflection, we learnt the correlation between education and health is strongly linked. It is our dream that one day each and every villager will have access to primary healthcare. It is a basic human right that is so easily forgotten when living in such a fortunate country. Although our impact was small, it won't ever be forgotten.

Thank you Laos for your hospitality and kindness, we look forward to returning when we are fully fledged Registered Nurses!

Jourdan and the Griffith University team