A week of medical camps in Guinea-Bissau

Humanity First UK sent a medical team to Guinea-Bissau for a week of free clinics, running three medical camps and visiting the health, education and water well projects we support across the country. Here is how the week unfolded.

Monday 6 July: Bissau

Our flight landed at 5am and the team reached the guest house an hour later. After a few hours’ rest we joined the clinic in Bissau, already under way since 8am, and worked through until 6pm. Between one doctor from the UK and three local doctors, the team saw around 150 people on the first day alone.

Doctors treating patients at the Humanity First medical clinic in Bissau — Our first day at the clinic in Bissau, where the team saw around 150 people.

Patients waiting to be seen at the Bissau clinic — Our first day at the clinic in Bissau, where the team saw around 150 people.

Tuesday 7 July: Bissau

The clinic opened again at 8am and ran through the day. In the early afternoon we left the clinic for a couple of hours to meet the director of the country’s largest hospital, talking through the pressures the hospital faces and how a longer-term partnership with Humanity First could help. By the close of the day the clinic had seen close to 190 patients.

The Humanity First medical clinic in Bissau on the second day — The Bissau clinic continued through Tuesday.

A doctor examining a patient at the Bissau clinic — The Bissau clinic continued through Tuesday.

Humanity First team meeting the director of the country's largest hospital — Meeting the director of the country's largest hospital to talk through a partnership.

Discussions with hospital leadership about a partnership with Humanity First — Meeting the director of the country's largest hospital to talk through a partnership.

Wednesday 8 July: Bissau

The final Bissau clinic was the busiest of all, running from 8am until 9pm as patients kept arriving. While the local doctors carried the clinic, the rest of the team had a full day across the city. The morning began with a meeting with the country’s national director of public health. Afterwards we went to see the Humanity First IT lab in Bissau, then the Humanity First sewing centre, where local women learn tailoring skills they can build a livelihood on. It was the busiest clinic of the three, with some 250 patients seen. Across the three days in Bissau, the team treated more than 590 people.

Meeting with the national director of public health in Guinea-Bissau — A morning meeting with the country's national director of public health.

Humanity First team with the national director of public health — A morning meeting with the country's national director of public health.

The Humanity First IT lab in Bissau — Our IT lab and the sewing centre in Bissau, where local women learn tailoring skills.

Women learning tailoring at the Humanity First sewing centre in Bissau — Our IT lab and the sewing centre in Bissau, where local women learn tailoring skills.

Thursday 9 July: on to Bafatá

In the morning we set off from Bissau to Bafatá for our second medical camp. Alongside the clinic we visited a local school and handed out school bags to the children, and stopped by a water well being drilled to bring clean water to the community. The camp wrapped up around 7pm, having seen around 220 patients, and the team drove on towards Farim, ready to start again the next morning.

The Humanity First medical camp in Bafatá — Our second camp of the week, in Bafatá.

Patients being treated at the Bafatá medical camp — Our second camp of the week, in Bafatá.

Friday 10 July: Farim

The camp in Farim continued through the day, treating roughly 245 more patients before the week drew to a close.

The Humanity First medical camp in Farim — The final camp of the week, in Farim.

The week in numbers

More than 1,000 patients treated across three medical camps
Three camps run, in Bissau, Bafatá and Farim
Meetings with the country’s largest hospital and the national director of public health
Visits to our IT lab, sewing centre and a water well in progress
School bags donated to local schoolchildren

None of this happens without our donors and volunteers. Your support puts doctors in clinics, clean water in villages and skills in the hands of women building a future. Support our work.