History

I first came to Africa in 1996. I was conducting field research on "Pharmacotherapy in the Traditional Medicine of Eastern Africa." Spending lots of time in very remote areas of Kenya, I gained some insight into the challenges that people face there. In many areas, people do not have access to medical facilities. In eastern Africa, there is an average of 15.000 to 30,000 people per medical doctor. Most doctors reside in cities, while many inhabitants of remote areas do not have transport to reach the city.

In an area which is about 120 km from the closest paved road, I witnessed the following situation: Walking through a village, I came across a man sitting in front of his mud house, holding his hand in a strange position. Having a closer look I saw a swollen, septic wound. He told me that he had been attacked by a lion five days before. He had tried to get transport to town, where the hospital is located. Unfortunately, the truck that was supposed to provide the transport had never arrived.

I kept coming back to Africa for prolonged stays. I continued with my PhD research about "Pharmacotherapy in the Traditional Medicine of Eastern Africa" and completed several elective training periods in different hospitals. Frequently I witnessed very sad situations: Patients are supposed to be treated at very low costs in government hospitals, but the reality is that urgently needed drugs are often not available. The patient will be given a prescription and asked to buy the required drug in a private pharmacy. There, prices are usually high and many people are unable to afford their prescription.

A typical example is children diagnosed with malaria. These children need effective treatment to prevent negative long-term consequences or even death. The required drug costs about $15 US, which is beyond the means of many parents in Kenya.

African children often die of diseases that could be treated easily and effectively. The most frequent causes of death amongst children in developing countries are malaria, respiratory tract infections and diarrhea.

In rural Kenya, families including children, parents and jobless relatives often have to survive on an average salary of about $1.50 US per day. It is simply impossible for many people to pay for medical treatment and drugs. During my time at hospitals in Africa, I frequently witnessed desperate situations of this kind. The infant mortality rate is very high.

For a short period of time, I was able to assist a few needy patients with money that was given to me by relatives and friends in Germany. But very soon these financial resources were insufficient. I had reached the end of my means as an individual and decided to found Medical Assistance in Africa, a non-profit NGO.

Dr. Olaf Förster
Chairperson, Medical Assistance in Africa, non-profit NGO