Dental Global Brigaders in Narkwa, Ghana

Thirty-one dental students from King's College have completed a ten-day relief effort for a community in Ghana, in collaboration with Global Medical Brigades.

Global Medical Brigades works with licensed medical professionals and community health workers in Honduras, Ghana and Panama to provide comprehensive health services in rural communities with limited access to healthcare.

The dental students were led by Aws Alani from Newcastle, Gareth Calvert from Glasgow and Alon Livny from Jerusalem, with Nikita Patel coordinating the medical and dental teams.

The group landed in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, on 17 August 2012 before travelling to the rural fishing community of Narkwa with donated dental equipment.

Reporting to the BDJ after the trip, Dr Calvert said: 'Global Brigades have newly chosen this community because of its population size, little infrastructure, significant distance to a health care establishment and limited access through challenging terrain and single-track road.'

The team set up in Narkwa's school, one of the only purpose built structures in the community. The 27 third and fourth year undergraduates divided the rooms into triage, treatment, sterilisation and oral health promotion and treated 1,500 people without electricity or running water. The students also visited homes in the community to reinforce general health information.

'All the Global Brigaders, local translators and community members shared an unforgettable experience,' said Dr Calvert. A second trip to Narkwa by Global Bridges is planned for as early as this Christmas.