As a proud member of the NHS it is sometimes disheartening to open a newspaper or switch on the TV under the media storm of the fiscal issues facing us in the health system. But I encourage you to think about the reason we were formed on the first place, “good healthcare available to all” so how lucky are we really?

Ghana is currently working towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and despite declaring maternal mortality a national emergency in 2008, still in 2015, an estimated 2800 women in Ghana died during childbirth. However, this is not the complete picture because deaths that take place outside of health facilities, especially in rural areas, are sometimes not recorded. Patients often travel long distances for antenatal care visits and are frequently giving birth outside of health facilities with no assistance from a trained health provider.

This is where I ask for your help, in March 2017 I plan to join a team of students in Ghana, Working in Takoradi in deeply under-resourced the hospitals to help the reduction in the prevalence of HIV, malaria and other diseases with extra focus being placed on groups that are most at risk. The Malaria Control Programme also needs to be strengthened in order to accommodate increasing net use by mothers and infants.

In order to carry out this vital work in Ghana, I need to raise funds for:
• Visa
• Vaccinations
• Malaria prophylaxis
• Travel and indemnity insurance
• Importantly any medical supplies or donations for the hospitals.
• All of our partner hospitals are under resourced. Please help them. I can take supplies across with me and help fill any gaps the hospital has.

I wish for the chance to make a real difference to people lives, enhance my love for the NHS but also remove me from the NHS comfort zone we are so lucky to be in. I hope I am given the opportunity to enrich my development by opening my eyes to new points of view, priorities, clinical skills and make me a better nurse.