MANAK COMMUNITY HEALTH ORGANIZATION (MaCHO)
MaCHO's Unique MODEL OF CARE
MaCHO is dedicated to providing compassionate care to those living in the most impoverished areas in Sierra Leone. However, this model can be implemented anywhere in the world to improve health outcomes and quality of life. The model emphasizes compassionate care, community care, and prevention.
Compassionate Care
Means showing compassion for all patients and community members, demonstrating respect through words and actions, and supporting the wellbeing of the individual and the community. By building trust and providing health education, MaCHO supports patients to take ownership of their own health and wellbeing.
Community Care
Means caring for the community and empowering community members to care for one another. MaCHO staff care for the community by actively building trust with individuals and communities. Community members are taught and encouraged to care for one another by volunteering to assist with clinic needs (e.g., building preparation, registration, crowd control, data collection) and care (e.g., health screening, blood pressure monitoring, ensuring patients take their medications, encouraging patients to attend follow-up visits).
Prevention
Means reducing complications and death from preventable conditions; reducing maternal and infant death before, during, and after childbirth; and providing health education so that patients can take preventive measures (e.g., lifestyle changes, taking prescribed medications, seeking care early) to maintain and improve their health.
MaCHO is More Than Healthcare, It is Whole Person Care.
In order to sustain improvements in health outcomes and truly enhance quality of life for individuals and communities, healthcare is only the beginning. Long-term sustainability and community development means addressing the underlying issues that contribute to poor health outcomes; In addition to providing care for acute and chronic conditions, preventive medicine, and maternal/child health. Addressing these underlying issues means that MaCHO may partner with community members to improve or provide access to: education, economic opportunity, food, clean water, transportation, literacy resources, and more. Through compassion, respect, and the identification and meeting of needs, MaCHO is able to provide whole person care.