Welcome To TroppoDoc
Volunteers Make Up The Organization Of TroppoDoc.
TroppoDoc is a NGO organisation of volunteers established by Dr Derek Allen MBChB, Diploma in Obstetrics, Diploma in Public Health. He is a New Zealand doctor who has chosen to work helping those in need and less fortunate than ourselves in the Developing World (focusing in Indonesia, Vanuatu, Africa and Bolivia) and in Natural Disaster Areas.
Dr Derek Allen voluntarily gives freely of his time and skills and invites other professionals and non-professionals, to join him for working holidays in this immensely rewarding work. He is also very enthusiastic about introducing people to the Developing World and getting them involved in TroppoDoc projects . These include building and improving water supplies to provide clean safe water in schools and villages, public health and health education, assisting with medical clinics and also school to school liasons between countries.
Finding his work challenging, interesting, and self-fulfilling, Dr Derek Allen would like more people to join him in the challenge to help those in need and less fortunate than ourselves, who have not had the opportunities we take for granted.
To see what TroppoDoc is doing, check the website regularly and feel free to contact us with any questions you might have. TroppoDoc is always looking for people from any walk of life, with skills either medical or non medical, to help in this immensely rewarding work.
Volunteers are essential to TroppoDoc in its commitment to help those in need.
TroppoDoc needs your help
As a volunteer you will be warmly welcomed for any length of time. Volunteer for two weeks, one month, or six weeks - you will probably find that you will want to stay even longer!
Logically, with the cost of air travel, the most practical stay is for one month or longer - but you are welcome for shorter periods. If you are interested and/or available to volunteer, please go to the Volunteer Database page and register. Or to support financially, click here . This is non-binding and simply puts you in contact with the TroppoDoc Team. The cost to volunteers is their own travel, medical and travel insurance, meals and accommodation.
The rewards are immeasurable. There is no fee charged to volunteers by TroppoDoc.
For volunteers who may not be able to travel but still would like to help, TroppoDoc is always in need of sponsorship for urgent projects .
For all enquiries regarding TroppoDoc, please contact Tony Denney (CEO), Margaret Thorpe (Secretary) or Volunteer Co-ordinators, Jan Beamish or Bronwyn McBain. Details are on the contacts page.
Dr Derek Allen enjoys communicating and responding to people directly, but email access can be limited. However, he can usually be contacted by txt (sms) or phone - refer to Contacts page .
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Monday, 26 September 2011
Malampa Province Water Projects
The Malampa Province in Vanuatu is home to over 35,000 people living on 16 inhabited islands. Not everyone has access to clean, safe water which is an essential necessity of life and a basic human need. Polluted or contaminated water - whether it be with salt water, rubbish, vegetation, or mud, while not only dirty, it can be deadly - causing often easily preventable disease and death. Clean safe water is a major factor in improving health and well being.
In most cases, villagers have to rely on their water supply coming from wells or a nearby river. With a lot of villages being along the coast, the wells are often dug near the beach and can become contaminated with salt water. For those having to rely on the rivers for their water supply, the water can become very muddy when it rains - which in a tropical climate is frequently!!!
There are several water projects needing urgent sponsorship. For approximately US$200, a water tank, guttering and piping can be obtained and installed, thus giving people access to totally clean safe water. These projects are easily affordable in the Western World and can often be a great project for individuals, service clubs, community groups or businesses......
Monday, 26 September 2011
Eye Care
UV (Ultra Violet) light levels are particularly high around the equator and in tropical areas. This leads to an increased incidence of Cataract and Pterygium. "Dry Eye" is also a problem.
TroppoDoc sees many patients with these conditions, as well as patients with Eye Conditions, Conjunctivitis, Eye Injuries, Vitamen A Deficiency (often associated with Measles), Diabetic Retinopathy and people who are having trouble with their vision - reading or seeing in the distance. Cataract patients are identified and referred to the appropriate service where available......
Monday, 26 September 2011
Malekula Transport
Public transport within Malekula, Vanuatu, is provided by a number of small single cab utility vehicles. They leave Lamap, at one end of the island at 3.30am Monday - Saturday, then drive through deeply rutted roads, crossing through five rivers onroute, until they get to Norsup, in the north. A return trip is made each day leaving Norsup between 10am -11am. People wanting to take this form of transport simply wait on the side of the road and hop on the back, or if in darkness, shine their torch for the truck to stop. If the truck is too full, it will not stop to pick up people, or if the rivers are too full to cross, they can not complete the journey. Hence often patients requiring medical help......
Monday, 26 September 2011
Improve Oral Health
With poverty being a huge problem in the Developing World, there is often not enough money to buy toothbrushes and toothpaste. This leads to severe dental problems including dental decay, gingivitis and loss of teeth - often decayed and broken off at gum level, which lead to massive infections in the gums and jaw. This leads to ongoing health problems, as well as problems with not being able to eat and chew food - helping increase the rates of malnutrition, especially in children and the elderly......
Monday, 26 September 2011
Furthering Education
When Dr Derek Allen arrived on Tello Island (Pulau Pulau Batu) to set up a medical service, he met Given, who had a small grasp of the english language that he had picked up from visiting surfers to the island. Given's father had died when Given was 7yrs old, leaving Given as the eldest son of 4 children, in charge of the family and having to provide for them. Not being able to afford to finish his education, he worked very hard riding pedicabs for the equivalent of US 20cents a job and taking every opportunity to further his knowledge of the english language......
Latest Projects...
Saturday, 28 April 2012
April 28
Keeping pretty busy in Myanmar - 2nd day doing further clinics at another orphanage......
Thursday, 26 April 2012
April 26
Derek is now in Myanmar for 2wks with CRS (Crisis Relief Society, Singapore)......
Monday, 26 March 2012
March 26
More frustration as the man with the Tension Pneumo-Thorax, diagnosed and treated by med students Kit and Tony, was taken to......
Sunday, 25 March 2012
March 25
Have returned from a couple of days in Teluk Dalam. Had run out of money and had to go and access more using the nearest ATM - 6hrs away by boat......
Thursday, 22 March 2012
March 22
Tony, Kit and I are busy with 5 psychotic schizophrenic patients......
Derek's Journal...
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