MEMO Medical Surgical Collaboration Teams
One of the distinctives of MEMO:Cuba's projects is the high standard of accountabiity that is required of the Cuban recipients. Many agencies that ship medical equipment into third world countries simply dump the donation, leaving it up to the recipient to insure it is properly used. This often results in equipment going astray or lying unused in a warehouse for lack of knowledge in its operation. Not so with MEMO:Cuba.
At least three times a year teams comprised of doctors, nurses and technicians are sent to Cuba usually for about a week at a time in order to check equipment, teach and collaborate with Cuban medical personnel.
In the past five years, MEMO has sent over 60 specialists in various fields who have paid their own way to make sure the equipment we have sent is working and used appropriately.
One example is in the area of laproscopic surgery (doing surgery through a very small incision using scopes) to reduce post operative suffering. MEMO sent all the specialized instruments, scopes, video cameras and monitors that were on the way to being discarded in Canadian hospitals. In Canada, most of the instruments used today are disposable and so the reusable ones are no longer used and therefore have become available for donation. 
A laproscopic surgeon from Comox, B.C., Dr. Rocky Moise, has been to Cuba several times in order to teach Cuban surgeons in Placetas how to change from the painful open surgery to almost pain-free minimal access surgery.
After six months, the Cuban surgeon, Dr. Pando, complained that his clip applier was not working very well. He said he had done over 100 laproscopic gall bladder surgeries in the team's absence. On examining the instrument, the Canadian team member found that the clip applier was a disposable instrument that in Canada would have only been used once! MEMO was able to obtain a reusable clip applier for Dr. Pando.
Similiarly, a Thunder Bay husband and wife team of orthopaedic surgeons were able to train a Cuban surgeon in knee arthroscopy using instruments donated from Canada. This brings knee surgery up to present day standards in Placetas. Dr Tracy Wilson, the wife and a shoulder surgeon, was able to teach some basic techniques of shoulder surgery.
Other teams have been comprised of gerentolgists, oncologists, x-ray repair specialists, operating room nursing specialists, and mechanical and electrical engineers - all who have been able to check on equipment MEMO has donated and ensure it was being used appropriately. In 2008, a social scientist from Ontario carried out a community needs assessment confirming the need for, and appropriateness, of MEMO Cuba's breast cancer screening program.
Are you a medical professional? Do you have an interest in helping out Cuba's most needy and to train Cuban staff? If so, click here to find out how you can get involved with an upcoming trip to Cuba.