Healthcare was delivered to Tuvan and Kazakh ethnic nomads attending portable clinics provided by Heath & Hope volunteers. These tribes live near the Kazakstan border in the Altai Mountains of Western Mongolia. Here, a family's access to healthcare is extremely limited.
"I have traveled throughout the world, but nothing was as meaningful or fun as the days I spent in Mongolia at the health clinics. This was an amazing cross-cultural experience. Volunteers receive on-the-ground training to provide meaningful health services. As a result of these services Mongolian families have improved health". Allene Z., Attorney.
Portable Delivery of Care and Prevention
Medical, Dental, and Vision needs of 170 nomadic villagers were addressed from our mobile clinics. Guests came by foot, horseback, and motorcycle. Some families packed into vans from distant villages driving over 8 hours and sleeping in below-freezing conditions to attend the Outreach.
Medical Care
93 nomads presented with a wide range of ailments. Most were diet related.
The local diet is rich in yak milk products high in fat and salted meats. Fruits and vegetables don't grow in this region, and safe drinking water is not plentiful. Common consequences are hypertension, constipation, urinary tract infection, as well as gallbladder and kidney diseases. Arthritis and overuse injuries are common.
Dental Care
Access to a dental exam, cleaning, or having a filling placed is very rare here. Our care was limited to addressing pain for 75 villagers resulting in the removal of 85 painful, non-restorable teeth. Each clinic guest received a toothbrush.
With limits to our equipment, we created a "dental chair" by propping the front seat of our van on top of the spare tire
Cavity Fighters Created! Unfortunately, candy has found a home in rural Mongolia too. To promote dental health, following our Outreach we visited a public school in a small village where 250 toothbrushes and toothbrushing education was provided to elementary students.
Vision Care
160 nomads attended the Vision Clinic. 72 were provided glasses for near-vision correction.
145 were provided UV-protected sunglasses to prevent eye damage and disease caused by dust and increased UV radiation at high altitudes.
Women's Healthcare
100 washable menstrual kits prepared by At-Home Volunteers were delivered to nomadic girls and women.
They loved them and appreciated how this menstrual was best for the environment.
Water Safety
Leaders of each nomadic tribe were given education, tools, and tests to determine if their water sources are safe to drink without treatment.
One tribe had safe sites, unfortunately, the other did not. They will use the boiling water method of treatment.
