Dedicated Doctors Help to Create Sustainable Healthcare in Congo

Doctors Philip and Nancy Wood have been working for more than 4 decades to help health professionals in the Democratic Republic of Congo create sustainable healthcare in some of the country's most under-serviced regions.  
 
 
Drs. Philip and Nancy Wood began their African adventure in healthcare in 1973.  Philip had trained in medicine at Cambridge University in England, while Nancy had trained at the University of Toronto.  In 1968/69, Nancy was sponsored in a medical student elective in Congo by EMAS Canada (Education, Medical Aid and Service), a Christian organization that does humanitarian work around the world.  
 
The Woods' shared vision to encourage and teach practitioners and those in training led them to live in the Congo for 23 years, before entering semi-retirement in Canada a few years ago.  Because of ongoing conflict in the area, they had to flee for their lives on many occassions but were never deterred from returning to carry on their work.
 
One of their many accomplishments was the founding of a hospital at Nyankunde, Congo known as CME or Centre Medical Evangelique. 
 
 
The red marker on the map shows the region in which much of the Wood family's work occurred.  In total, 3 hospitals were founded, beginning with the CME in Bunia in 2007 followed by the CME Beni and Sose.  CME Bunia added a private patients pavillion in January of this year.
 
Philip and Nancy also helped found a college for the training of healthcare professionals in multiple disciplines.  Educational opportunities have since expanded, and Philip continued to support these efforts by teaching histology, radiology and trauma care in the past as well as  radiology, pathology and ophthalmology more recently to medical students at Shalom University, while Nancy has taught bioethics, and gerontology to nursing students.
 
The need for a sustainable healthcare system in great in Congo where the average life expectancy is approximately 53 years primarily due to deaths from infectious illnesses.  As people become disabled or infirm, no home care is available, nor is dental care widely available.
 
Philip, a surgeon, and Nancy, a family physician, have together trained thousands of doctors and nurses.  Many of these professionals have gone on to pursue PhDs and Master's degrees and have been able to take on teaching and administrative duties for the hospitals and training facilities.  There remains much to do.
 
You can read more about the amazing accomplishments of these dedicated doctors here: