In 2001 Doctors For Life International (DFL) initiated the medical program ‘Aid to Africa’, to reach out to Sub-Saharan developing countries with free medical relief. Medical teams travel to isolated and remote areas with short term missions in order to deliver free medical care and surgery in areas where there is little to none available. The long term goal is to establish permanent medical facilities we identify in needy areas. These will be used as a base to take medical assistance deeper into these regions. DFL’s first permanent medical clinic and maternity ward was built in Zavora, Mozambique.
This medical program fits in with the vision of the organization i.e. to protect and enhance life in its broader context through the implementation of strategic projects. DFL members regard the many factors that threaten human life in Southern Africa as both a challenge and an opportunity to invest both time and professional expertise in developing communities.
The Aid to Africa project aims to offer the following services in Sub Saharan African countries:
- Provide free medical examination and supply of medical treatment, through short term mobile medical clinics.
- Provide free surgery in remote and needy regions
- Construct and manage permanent clinics/hospitals/maternity wards.
- Facilitate free medical supplies to needy medical health facilities
- Build relationships with communities and their local leaders
- Facilitate primary health education in communities.
- Establish a Memorandum of Understanding and a working relationship with the National Governments and Departments of Health of the countries we work in.
- Facilitate training for health care workers
DFL has gained valuable experience in Southern Africa over the past 25 years which we would like to offer to other needy communities. As the specific needs become clear, DFL would also implement some of our other successful projects.
DFL has been involved with bringing free medical assistance to South Africa, Lesotho, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana and Mozambique. Angola and Malawi have offered DFL land to start medical facilities in remote regions there too.