1. The project: building up of a paediatric clinic with the following activities (www.tamfunk.com/clinic (EN), www.tamfunk.com/klinik (DE))

paediatric care for the children of the area

basic paediatric surgical care, especially emergency and plastic reconstructive surgery (burns, osteomyelitis)

medical laboratory, also accessible for other health institutions

pharmacy according to the guidelines of the so called rational drug use (essential drug list), also accessible for other health institutions

continuation of scientific cooperations (www.tamfunk.com/publications)

work as consultant paediatrician for the Upper West Region

further development and adaptation to the Upper West Region and implementation of paediatric treatment protocols (www.tamfunk.com/protocols)

teaching at the University of Development Studies (UDS): medical faculty in Tamale (Northern Region)

at time consultant paediatrician and head of department of the paediatric department of the Teaching Hospital in Tamale

2. Existing or in construction

Compound house with four treatment rooms and four rooms for patients to stay, two semidetached flats for staff and private rooms, financed from own resources; completion expected during the year 2010.

Various medical technical items, donated by a Ghanaian paediatrician, living in Canada, are already available or shipped to Ghana.

3. Own professional background

1983 medical registration and doctorate at the University of Heidelberg

1985 to 1988 general medical practitioner as development aid worker in Akwatia (Eastern Region, Ghana)

in the nineties qualifications as specialist paediatrician, specialist general physician, tropical medicine and master of public health

from 1996 to 1999 paediatrician at the St. Joseph’s Hospital in Jirapa, from 1999 to 2004 at the Catholic Hospital in Battor (Volta Region), from 2005 to 2008 consultant paediatrician in the Upper West Region of Ghana, since 2009 consultant paediatrician in the Teaching Hospital in Tamale

4. Geography (www.tamfunk.com/geography)

The west African country is climatically, politically, economically and culturally divided into two parts: the (relatively rich) south and the (substantially poorer) north. The north is represented by the Northern Region and the two Upper Regions, Upper East Region and Upper West Region. The Upper West Region is located in the upmost north west of the country. About one million people live in the region. Jirapa is centrally located in the Upper West Region. It is the capital of the Jirapa Lambusie District. The town has about twenty thousand inhabitants.

5. Why a new paediatric clinic?

In the Upper West Region of Ghana specialized paediatric care is not yet offered. The treatment of sick children is still far below the general Ghanaian standard. To provide — in cooperation with existing institutions — an adequate medical service for sick children, it seems reasonable to build up a private paediatric clinic, together with pharmacy and laboratory facilities.

6. Financing

The building: At time we build, as mentioned above, the house of the clinic from own private resources.

The equipment: A donor from Canada has already sent some equipment to Ghana. We hope to receive more items through this source. Missing equipment has to be financed through different sources.

The actual paediatric clinic: Cost-covering treatment of sick children in the Upper West Region is not possible. The region’s subsistence economy cannot sustain a westernised medical system. Patients or their families should participate in the expenses directly caused by the treatment (charging of cost price). Additional expenses (salaries, maintenance of the buildings, electricity and others) need external coverage.

Laboratory and pharmacy: Through business with other institutions, a medium-term surplus of both parts of the project seems possible. Initially cost-covering operation should be achieved.

Scientific cooperation: By all means cost-covering, some surplus for the institution would be fine. However, because of the actual shortage of funds not much is invested in tropical medical research.

Consultant paediatrician and teaching at the university: Some income from these activities would be desirable, but the activities as such and the possible income are not yet guaranteed.

Private business: Private additional activities (already existing building and construction company, filling station, butchery, guest house with restaurant and bar) should be part of the local financing.

7. The expenses

Personal expenses: Social insurances for me and my family and the expenses for necessary scientific literature need about 700 Euro per month. At least initially, this amount cannot be generated in Ghana and sent to Germany.

Clinic: Drugs, dressing material and other consumables should be paid for by the patients, but “really” poor people can not even pay for these items. Salaries and other expenses most likely cannot be cared for by the patients, but must be financed from outside. The ideal initial financial background would be about 1,000 Euro per month available in Ghana.

8. Contact

Do you have any questions?

Do you need more information?

Do you want to support this clinic in any way?

Do you want to become a sponsor? (www.tamfunk.com/sponsors)

Please contact Dr. Matthias Funk, P. O. Box 25, Jirapa (UW/R), Ghana

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clinic@tamfunk.com