Background:The AtH (Access to Healthcare) project was begun in September 2009 at a meeting arranged by Coloplast and IOA in Guangzhou where it was agreed that IOA and WCET would work together to help establish Stoma Clubs in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou and Nanjing.In September 2010 Dr Buch and Barry Maughan met with ostomates and medical professionals in Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou. Ms. Louise Forest Lalande, President of WCET joined IOA in the Hangzhou meeting.Coloplast China arranged the meetings and travel for the project and the results were very pleasing. 6-12 April 2011 MeetingsDr Harikesh Buch, Barry Maughan and the WCET President Louise Forest Lalande worked together and completed the 4th and 5th city meetings in Guangzhou and Beijing.Both these meeting were well organised and were well supported by Doctors, Nurses and Ostomates.These were all day meetings which included scientific subjects by local Doctors and ET nurses and the IOA- AtH project with ISCAP and Visitor Training by Dr Harikesh Buch and Mr Barry Maughan, as well as New Wound Care Tool & Introduction to WCET by Ms. Louise Forest Lalande. The ostomates joined in the afternoon sessions.There were over 100 attending Guangzhou and possibly 30-40 more in total in Beijing.
Both the established Ostomy groups have a good leader. There was time for discussion with the leaders of the projects.In Guangzhou the Hong Kong Association, with their President Mr Yip and Secretary Jacky Lam (who has been supporting them), brought a group of ostomates in the afternoon from
Hong Kong to join the meeting. They shared their experience with the local Ostomates.Dr Buch reviewed the Nanjing project and found that they had made excellent progress and had established their Ostomy Club and they already had organised training sessions for ostomate on Visiting in the last 6 months.& will do more such training sessions in coming months of this year.Dr Buch and Barry Maughan reviewed the progress in Hangzhou and were delighted to find that the Doctors and nurses had already established a Stoma Club of more that 100 ostomates from several of the hospitals within their region. Visitor training projects will start but support meetings by the Health Professionals for the ostomates have already begun.There was time on the way to the airport to complete the reviews of the projects as required under the AtH project.All existing AtH funding was spent and Coloplast China has kindly agreed to pick up the shortfall.Coloplast’s organisation of the trip was excellent and all participants were impressed by their support for this project.
Dr Harikesh Buch
Barry Maughan
