World Spine Care

Programs: The botswana project met all of its milestones in 2014. A third clinic supervisor took over full time management of the botswana clinics in march 2014. In december 2011 the wsc clinic was opened in the mahalapye district hospital. Since the opening of the clinic approximately 550 patients have been seen in this clinic with over 4,000 office visits for diagnostic and treatment services. In august 2012 the wsc clinic was opened in the village of shoshong in a portacabin provided by the botswana ministry of health. Since that date approximately 500 patients have been seen with 4,000 office visits. Since the opening of the botswana project, the clinics have seen 3 full time volunteer clinicians and 19 short term volunteers who each spent 4-8 weeks in the clinics. Two of these volunteers returned for their second and third volunteer tours in 2014. The scoliosis screening program continued in 2014 and now approximately 1,000 primary school students in the mahalapye and shoshong schools have been screeened. A community fitness day was launched in november in shoshong, which included 5 km and 10 km walks and runs as well as other fitness challenges. Participants were awarded certificates, prizes and food was provided by local partners. This was supported and created through a wsc/shoshong community collaboration. A mahalapye police education program was launched which included spine pain prevention exercises and workstation ergonomics assessments.

the moca projectmoca, dominican republic. The moca project in the dominican republic was launched in mid-november with the clinic located in a not for profit rehabilitation center that is located on the property of the moca hospital. The first patients began treatment in mid-december. There were 17 new patients and 40 treatments rendered in the second half of december. All of the diagnostic services required have been arranged and the referral processes have been established.

kanyama projectmagu district hospital, tanzania. There was continued development of the kanyama clinic with renovations continuing and equipment procurement. It is intended to be ready for the wsc team to open the clinic early in 2015.