Post-partum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Common causes include uterine atony, retained tissue, and lacerations, and can be severe especially if the patient presents late. In the tropics, such cases may be complicated by coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia. Contributing factors may be recurrent malaria, chronic anemia due to nutritional factors or hemoglobinopathies, and reactive hypersplenism (tropical splenomegaly). Treatment is complicated by limited blood products, late presentation due to poor infrastructure and transportation, and cultural factors. Even if PPH occurs in a health facility, these factors make treatment challenging. Despite surviving the initial hemorrhage, complications such as renal failure can lead to mortality 7-8 days postpartum in settings where limited laboratory and no dialysis exists. Several cases of complicated PPH are presented, highlighting the key factors that can lead to successful management— a team approach involving prompt medical treatment, ultrasound evaluation, transfusion, curettage, and surgical management.
This session will cover practical factors to consider when moving abroad with a young family. Some topics that will be covered include closing down your home base as well as the initial time period of living overseas and ideas on how to help your family deal with these transitions. We will also cover some practical ideas on how to manage the time pressures of a difficult work environment with family life.
Christians are called to love yet often times, our communities are rife with conflict and unresolved hurt. Interpersonal conflict is cited as one of the major reasons why missionaries leave the mission field. Using concepts from Ken Sande’s Peacemakers and his personal experience working as a the Medical Director in an FQHC in Appalachia, Dr. Thomas will review … - The cost of conflict for the individuals, the organization, and for our witness - The difference between Peacemaking vs PeaceFaking - Strategies to develop a culture of peace in your organization - Healthy ways of addressing conflict and working towards reconciliation
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons(IDP’s) face significant challenges to their health and well-being that are unique, due to lack of necessary resources including food, water, sanitation, shelter, security and healthcare. Caring for people in these situations requires an understanding of their unique needs as well as having realistic goals regarding what can and cannot be done for them.
Recent experiences in providing healthcare missions in disasters in Nepal, Kurdistan and Turkey – both natural and manmade – highlight the need to be well prepared when serving in these difficult situations. Focus areas for the presentation and discussion will include team selection and preparation; travel and logistics issues; identifying and addressing the needs of the people being served, including physical, psychological and spiritual needs; partnering with other relief organizations and local authorities; and returning home successfully.
We are called to serve the “least of these”, and the victims of disasters and crises certainly qualify. Often these events, though causing much hardship and suffering, create the possibility for doors and hearts to be open to the message of Jesus that otherwise would be closed. We must be both willing and well prepared if we are to serve well when we are called to respond to those in need.
Stan Key was appointed President of The Francis Asbury Society on March 1, 2014. Stan and Katy Key come to FAS after 10 years of missionary service in Paris, France, and 18 years of pastoral leadership at Loudonville Community Church in Albany, New York. Joining the FAS team in January of 2013, Stan has contributed to the ministry of the Society through preaching, teaching, writing, and more recently, serving as Director of Operations. He also serves as Spiritual Dean with the Pan African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) and serves on the board of One Mission Society. He travels and speaks in churches, retreats, conferences, and camps both here and abroad. Katy also serves in many capacities at his side, and they serve at FAS as a team. Stan is the author of The Last Word (Warner Press, 2015), a study on the book of Revelation. Katy is the daughter of the founder of FAS, Dennis Kinlaw. Stan and Katy have three grown daughters and four grandchildren.
