Moses Lake Medical Team returns to Africa

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Medical Team is preparing to make another trip to Africa to provide free medical care and are seeking donations from the community to purchase medical supplies.

The team of 15 people includes physicians, nurses and educators. They will visit the cities of Patigi and Lafiagi in Nigeria, said team member Martha Wong.

Patigi was declared Moses Lake’s companion city last year.

When the team goes to Nigeria, they will perform surgeries, teach adult and baby CPR, distribute medication and eye glasses, she said.

They are seeking donations from the community to support the purpose of their trip, which is to distribute medical care. They need to raise roughly $6,000 to purchase medications and education materials, Wong said.

The team is also accepting used and new eye glasses, including glasses she refers to as “cheaters.” They’re the ones sold over the counter without a prescription at most drug stores.

They are not seeking medical supplies or medication because they plan to purchase the items overseas to save money on shipping costs.

They will carry the donated eye glasses in their luggage, she said.

The team will leave for Africa on April 17 and return May 2, Wong said.

Last year, during a similar time period, the team met with 7,895 patients, she said. They performed 130 surgeries, distributed 750 pairs of eye glasses and filled roughly 21,000 prescriptions.

Since their 2008 visit to Patigi, the community rehabilitated an old hospital in the city in response to the care the team provided, she said. They plan to work in the hospital during their visit.

Donations can be taken to Lateef Olaniyan, who works in the pharmacy at Food Pavilion in Moses Lake.

Donations can also be mailed to 3090 Valley Road, Moses Lake, WA, 98837, in care of the Moses Lake Medical Team.

All donations are tax deductible because the team is a non-profit organization.

For more information about the organization, visit www.mlmt.org.