Einen hab ich noch:
https://www.svha.ch/uploaded/files/LIGA_NEWSLETTER_14.pdf[*quote*]
THE LIGA NEWS • April 2015 •
www.lmhi.orgLIGA NEWS
Report of the Ebola Mission to Liberia from LMHI
17th of October to 7th of November 2014
Resumee:
After 2 1/2 months of preparation a team of
four homeopathic doctors started their
mission to relieve the consequences of the
Ebola outbreak from February/March 2014
which reached a peak in August 2014; at
least in the region where we finally and after
careful study and outweighing of all
alternatives chose to go, Ganta United
Missionary Hospital in Nimba County. On
arrival, the last Ebola patient had died prior
to our possible help. We were forbidden to
treat any EBV infected person and after some
discussion anew with representatives of
the Liberian Health Authorities, three of us
four decided to treat all the other (in- and
out-)patients including EBV survivors.The
experience was positive and inspiring for all
of us.
History of our endeavor:
In August 2014, the LMHI, together with
the German Association of
Homeopathic Physicians (DZVHÄ),
decided to respond to the plead for
international support to fight the Ebola
epidemic that had already cost the lives
of many people in some West African
countries. In early August, the
president of LMHI, Dr.Renzo Galassi,
asked the members of the LMHI for
collaboration to work on the issue.
International Collaboration and
Solidarity with our not so well off
brothers and sisters all around the
world had been one of his aims. By the
end of August, the first team was
formed consisting of Dr Richard Hiltner,
Dr Medha Durge and myself.
In 2010, the President of Liberia, Ellen
Sirleaf Johnson herself had asked for
homeopathy to be the third line of
medicine for her country and contacted
Homeopathy without Borders (HOG,
Germany) to establish a formal training
in Monrovia at The JFKennedy Hospital.
However, this project got stranded in
the internal alleys of the Ministry of
Health.
In August and September of 2014, the
President herself had repeatedly asked
for support in the fight against Ebola,
especially and expressively to Germany
and the USA as nations with resources
to share funds and expertise in times of
crisis.
The months of September and October
were filled with preparative telephone
conferences, contacts to all possible
entities that could help us with the
access to the good starting point in
Liberia.
In September 2014, five members of a
research team in Sierra Leone tragically
died in fast succession just before
publishing an article in Science on the
origin of the virus.
The WHO published in their guidelines
the need for collaboration with CAM
particularly in these cases of diseases
that had no successful treatment nor
vaccine as yet.
The WHO authorized Glaxo Smith Kline
to develop a vaccine.
Dr. Ortrud
Lindemann
Ganta United Missionary Hospital
(GUMH) was chosen because of the long
lasting relationship with a German based
NGO (Non-Government Organization)
based in Leipzig ( Freunde Liberia ́s e.V.
Friends of Liberia) and the possibility to
contact before hand to prepare well for
our stay and endeavor. The contact was
established with the Medical Director,
Dr. Albert Willicore, and the Hospital
Administrator, Victor Doolakeh Taryor.
The disease had not cost any lives
among the health workers of GUMH.
Background of the disease:
The virus was first observed and
described in Congo in 1976 on the
banks of the River
Ebola, an ARN virus that belongs to the
family of the Filoviridae. It is patented
in the USA and classified as an agent of
biosecurity level 4, category A.
The recent outbreak started in Guinea
Conakry in February 2014, rapidly
spread to Liberia; where in Ganta in
March the first patient was spotted.
The disease reached a peak in August
2014 in Ganta, Nimba County. Careful
and strict hygienic measures were
taken. The death rate from the infected
of these new viral strains were
considered around 70% depending on
many factors like general health,
nutrition, socioeconomic factors etc.
EVD was classified as an epidemic;
however, statistically corresponds to an
endemic. ( Dr.X. Uriarte ,17.09.2014)
In the many victims, concomitant
diseases were Malaria, Aids and others.
Other hemorrhagic fevers are caused by
Lassa fever, Enterovirus, Yellow Fever,
Aids and Malaria and are sometimes
difficult to be differentiated. Lab tests
are required to establish the correct
diagnosis.
Organization before hand:
Our volunteer group was firmly
supported and coordinated by Dr.
Altunay Agaoglu with her outstanding
profesional, personal skills and attitude.
Dr Curt Kösters and Dr Cornelia Bajic
gave all the professional and structural
know how and worked day and night on
the Project; opening paths to official
recognition by the Liberian Authorities
assisted by the Consul to Liberia
Michael Kölsch. Only the American
Branch of Liberian Embassies gave the
visas in direct application forms. The
Chinese, Japanese, French and Spanish
embassies were overwhelmed. The
Ambassador to Germany, Ethel Davis,
helped with official visas and gave
necessary advice. The President of
Liberia knew of our group.
In regular international telephone
conferences, we all got familiar, were
updated and developed common
strategies. We gained two further
members who soon strongly
contributed to our project: Christine
Wittenburg and Dr. Edouard
Broussalian. The latter joined in the last
moment and participated in our first
group.
Professor Dr. Ashley Ross developed
and designed a protocol for
documentation and basic research
which was presented to the Health
Ministry of Liberia and their Ethic
Committee prior to our arrival.We were freely given all the required
remedies by Brita Gudjons, Robert
Müntz and the Hahnemannian
Pharmacy.
LMHI President Renzo Galassi wrote a
letter about our aid mission which to all
LMHI members and to all the
homeopathic community and requested
help and support.
Fortunately, we saw that there are too
many people who were willing to help
both materially and spirutually, and
they made donations.
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We could not materialized this mission
without the help of their donations. I,
again thank to all this kindness and to
all the help on behalf of my team and
LMHI.
Teaching for epidemic outbreaks:
The crucial point, however, was to be
able to handle the patients with
homeopathic remedies. Dr. André Saine
from Canada held two excellent
Webinars for us with the aim to not
lose one patient in the course of the
treatment. 110 remedies were
determined in five different potencies.
The teaching was comprehensive and
intense. Interaction was possible to
clarify some doubts and André was to
be our 24/7 on-call-background for
difficult or overwhelming cases. With
his tremendous knowledge in clinical
Hahnemannian homeopathy, we all felt
enriched and gained security in our
prescription skills.
Through him and the German Web
page, we had all the necessary back up
from publications during centuries of
the management of epidemics which
should later come handy when on the
ground, but difficult to overcome
obstacles by skeptics.
Practical aspects of our journey:
Our personal and very important
altogether aim was to not cause any
burden on our hosts by falling sick. The
main dangers being malaria and its
prophylaxis, gastrointestinal problems,
heat management and hygiene in
general. We decided to take Artemisia
annua tea three times a day together
with potent, but natural insect
repellents. We were prepared for a few
days if not having enough food by
bringing basic food supplies that could
serve for the odd days. This included a
good vitamin C supply as well as garlic
to care for our intestinal health. The
Yellow Fever Vaccine had to be given
at least 10 days prior to entering the
country or if once obtained during our
lifetime would proved to be enough as
a requirement for the Visa.
We were lucky to have colleagues in
our team that were all acquainted with
basic living standards and the
prevention of common diseases in
tropical countries. Only two of us had
been before in Africa, especially, West
Africa.
Team work:
Another classical challenge of an
international team of homeopathic
physicians is team work in extreme
circumstances. We are from three
continents and four different “schools”
of homeopathy with different
approaches to remedy choice and also
potency choice and administration. All
of us are experienced prescribers; all of
us have worked with severe and acutely
sick patients in more than basic
conditions. All of us had worked in
international teams before. The choice
of a team leader only made it seemingly
easier.
There were some enriching discussions
on remedies and approaches. Other
difficult to make decisions had to do
with the “ How to proceed” manual in
the tense moments. The fact that we
were two male and two female
participants made it easier. The fact of
respecting our different experiences in
completely different fields ( hospitals,
patient numbers, lowest hygienic
standards, undernourished patients,
consequences of poverty in all different
ways,communication standards etc.) as
well. We managed to mainly be
complementary. The biggest draw back
proved to be unnecessary heroism in
each of us; the most important help,
humor; the desire to help one another
out in vision of the outstanding
hospitality and group behavior of our
incredible hosts. Eating together and
sharing the same space made us soon
believe we had known one another for
a long time.
Cultural adaptation:
In working and living experiences in a
completely different environment
which includes different races, climate,
religion, cultural and socioeconomic
backgrounds, it was extremely important
to go well prepared knowing about the
immediate and fundamental history and
reality of the people and place you
encounter. Liberia is a special place in
many ways. It was the openness of our
hosts mainly that made it easy for us.
We were fully accepted (except for
political issues that had nothing to do
with us personally) and more so,
appreciated by the vast majority of the
people, especially in Ganta Hospital.
Within less than a day, the news had
spread who had arrived and that
implied the many beggars in and out of
the hospital ( one of the not so easy
parts). Accommodation and food were
so well arranged by three women from
neighboring villages used to care for
the “White,” that is, was difficult to
actually “miss that something”.
However, it is well worth the while to
spend as much time as you can on
getting familiar with the country and its
habits. I myself found videos, two
important and inspiring books and the
beforehand contact to Liberians, in
particular, most helpful.
Also, for homeopathic prescribing, it is
most important to find out what is
normal in which place and
circumstance. As Jeremy Sherr says
after years of experience in Tanzania: In
Africa you just have one mind symptom: “I am hungry”.
Homeopathic achievements:
After being forbidden to treat Ebola
patients in Liberia, first, by Dr. Kateh,
then by Dr. Bawoo, and finally by Dr.
Steven Kennedy representing the
Liberian Health Authority ((and
sponsored by the WHO) already on day
six and thus our first day of patient
contact, three of our team then
proceeded to treat all the patients that
were transferred to us by the Medical
Director of the Ganta United Missionary
Hospital: Dr. Albert Willicore; who,
previously to our stay, only had a very
unclear vision about homeopathy. After starting each of us on one of the three
wards and in the outpatient
department seeing everyday as many
patients as we could manage, we soon
organized a teaching session on
homeopathy which was frequented by
more than thirty collaborators who
even after three hours could not cease
to ask questions as to the theoretical
and practical background of
homeopathy. From that day on, our
OPD was frequented by a rising number
of patients. Many nurses and hospital
workers asked for treatment and we
tried to manage in the limited amount
of time and space. By the end of our
stay, there were long queues outside
the hospital to consult with us ( and not
because we were foreign, they were
used to being exposed to staff from all
over the place for some periods of
time).
7
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Within no time homeopathy proved to be a most
beneficial complement to the day and night surgical
efforts of our inspiring and admirable colleagues, two
from Liberia and one from Congo.
We were able to treat the most acute and severe states
of disease like patients with meningitis, septicemia,
pneumonia, skin infections, secondary infections due to
diabetes, burns, surgery like amputations, child birth
etc. Apart from the many with endemic Malaria, TB,
Aids... Many patients had high blood pressure, diabetes,
strokes, asthma, chronically festering wounds, chronic
heart and kidney failure.
One of us worked on the obstetrics and gynecological
ward.
The results were remarkably good in spite of all the odds
and nearly all of our patients being on several drugs at a
time. Blood pressure turned to normal ( even in a
chronic patient); wounds could heal impressively and
sometimes only explainable by the use of homeopathy;
many a women could deliver vaginally and thus avoid
the hazards of surgical interventions; some stroke
patients improved unexpectedly;
some babies were
resuscitated and remedies like Opium, Antimonium tart,
Aconitum helped them back to life.All of us had our
successes and the hospital began to voice that they
wanted a proper education in homeopathy to be able to
achieve themselves what homeopathy had showed
them as possible. All of our cases were documented,
some gave us a later e-mail or telephone follow up.
We
treated more then one patient who had survived EVD,
but was still suffering from the consequences. Also the
many affected by the fear and panic created as a
consequence ( Gels, Arg nit, Acon, Stram...)The experience was most challenging, but rewarding on
all the possible levels improving our expertise.
However, I must say I have never seen as many patients
die in such a short time, especially, children, babies and
women in labour due to scarcity of means and staff.
Personal difficulties:
The main difficulties had to do with a lack of
communication before hand and a clear outline of the
aims and limits of our common endeavor. Not all of us
found the living conditions easy to adapt to. Not all of us
understood what it needs to work in a team in all
moments. We are just so used to work by ourselves
usually....
The fact that we were forbidden to treat Ebola patients
was the major draw back, of course. There was no support
from the WHO whatsoever ( in fact quite the opposite),
The research protocol was not interpreted in our favor at
all and created a hostile attitude even prior to our arrival
at Ganta Hospital. The fact of trying to produce a nosode
was definitely not understood by the local and national
authorities.The persecution by the press that got hold of some
information that was meant to be internal was a severe
draw back and problem for some of us. Even months
afterwards, we were still interviewed, phoned and visited
in our private homes (!!!) by representatives of the
international press.The classical skeptics called us mass
murders and other not so beautiful names. Experiences
already shared by colleagues who had worked on delicate
subjects like children infected with Aids and other
diseases with “political” interest.Learning process:
The main thing to be learnt was humbleness and
togetherness.
That holds true on an international level in view of the
necessity of collaboration between the LIGA and national
organizations , doctors and non doctor homeopaths,
doctors and pharmacists, volunteers and background
workers, doctors and our patients, doctors and our local
colleagues, volunteers and our hosts and so on.
Especially in times of crisis we all need one another and as
homeopaths we have a simple, beautiful and common
ground : the highest purpose being to restore the sick to
health! And that by the Law of Similars. That is why we
went! And that is what we did.
We all are grateful for the experience and the even
months afterwards still flowing flood of communication
shows that it was well worth the while even if we could
not touch nor treat even one EVD patient.
Ortrud Lindemann
Barcelona, 20.01.2015
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BIOGRAPHY OF Dr. ORTRUD LINDEMANN
55 years old, born and studied medicine mainly in
Germany , 36 years dedicated to homeopathy
Working in Barcelona, Spain where she cofounded 16
years ago Marenostrum, a multi professional health
center for family health, published books and numerous
articles on homeopathy,teaching doctors and midwives
since 25 years
Cofounded Bhaktapur International Homeopathic Clinic
and thus helped to establish homeopathy in Nepal on a
teaching and treatment level for the first time fully
recognized by the Nepali government
Responded to the Liga call in august 2014 for the Ebola
Relief Action
Currently busy with the development of a Casa de Paso
for the terminally sick in Spain
9
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[*/quote*]
Da sind die Afrikaner knapp an einer Katastrophe vorbeigeschrammt. Sehr, sehr knapp...
Wenn die irren Homöopathen ihren "Nosoden"-Blödsinn durchgezogen hätten, hätte es sofort eine neue Infektionswelle gegeben, und die Irren wären selbst auch infiziert worden und hätten auf dem Rückflug und in ihren Heimatländern eine Katastrophe verursacht.
Man sollte sie wegsperren. So etwas darf nie wieder geschehen.[Markierungen gesetzt, Ayu]