Two Billion Dollars

Two billion dollars is a lot of money to spend. Even theoretically, and on a good cause, I could not do it.

My Global Health final paper asked me to create a project to help reduce mortality rates in children under age 5. Focus on one area of need. I have 2 billion dollars. TWO BILLION. It sounded very easy except I could not just GIVE a billion away. You have to have a plan.

My plan, I think, was actually very good.

The HC Program plans to focus in this area by investing up to $2 billion dollars towards this goal. We will be partnering with UNICEF and the SIMS program through Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California. We will focus our attention on the neglected rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. The SIMS program is a volunteer program through Loma Linda University which offers a rare opportunity for students, faculty and alumni to volunteer their time and skills to countries that are in dire need of healthcare services. The SIMS program requires that the volunteers pay for their own transportation to the country, and a small fee for lodging that is already made available for them. The cost to volunteers of the SIMS program is from $200- $800 per program month. Food and laundry is provided to the volunteers and each program lasts about one month. There are currently 20 hospitals (“sites”) in the area that the SIMS program sends volunteers to. The HCP will partner with the SIMS program and UNICEF to create a program that extends past the programs already in place. The goal of this 8 year program is to increase the volunteers that participate in the SIMS program and offer added incentives for repeat volunteers to go further into the countries to provide maternal and child care where the access is very limited. The program will consist of the following:

· Transportation from the airport to the site. Currently the SIMS program is paying for transportation of the volunteers to the site they are assigned to. The HCP will assume the costs for this transportation for the HC Program which will also transport volunteers for the core SIMS program. These vehicles will remain at the site and transport HC Program volunteers to 60 different rural areas to reach areas in need, make visits to homes of patients who cannot be brought to the clinics and transfer patients to a hospital for more urgent medical needs. (Budgeted 3Million)

· Medical Supplies including vaccinations, oral rehydration supplies, bed nets, and antibiotics will be transported to these rural areas and townships where care will be provided. Prenatal counseling, breastfeeding education will be also be provided. (Budgeted 575Milion)

· If a clinic, church or local location is not available to provide services, the HC Program will contract with local peoples to build a facility, however we do not expect this to be the case in most areas. Most townships have a church or religious meeting place where we can provide services. (Budgeted 500K)

· We will create or renovate neonatal care units in the 20 SIMS hospital sites. (Budgeted 1 Million).

· The HC Program will invest money to renovate the guest houses that core SIMS program volunteers stay in. 25% of the Volunteers stay on the hospital grounds, however most stay in guesthouses nearby. The HC Program wishes to invest in upgrading accommodations when possible including the addition of some modern comforts such as internet access and satellite television as an added incentive and a way for the volunteers to stay connected with their families. (Budgeted 1Million).

· The HC Program will build small guest houses in 60 villages extending past the 20 core SIMS sites. These modest guest houses will be co-ed and house 5-7 persons. Four scheduled times a month, Volunteers can return to the core SIMS sites if they wish for communication or debriefing.

· The HCP will also offer a $2,000 Stipend toward educational loans to students who volunteer for 30 or more days with the HC Program. Volunteers are eligible to earn up to $10,000 in stipends. (5 Programs) This investment will help students offset their financial responsibilities while offering them a life changing opportunity to be of service to their fellow man. (Budgeted 58 Million)

· Volunteers who spend 90 or more consecutive days with the HC Program will be reimbursed for their program costs. We anticipate about 20 persons over the 8 year program to spend 90 or more days in the affected area (Budgeted 80K).

· 90% of the worlds children with HIV are living in Sub-Saharan Africa, most of them in rural regions where they cannot receive treatment or they cannot travel to where the treatment is. The HC Program will provide access to antiretroviral medications by donating $2 Million a year to pay for antiretroviral drugs the 8 year program. A years supply of generic antiretroviral medications currently cost about $200. (Avert.org) These funds will cover the cost of treatment for up to 10,000 infected children a year. It is our hope that by 2015, universal access to AIDS treatment will be available and many of the children who will benefit from that will still be alive due to our efforts.

I even earmarked 600 million dollars to go to other organizations to achieve these goals And I STILL only spent 1.3 billion. I still have 700 million I can spend. With number like that, it may as well be "gazillion dollars." I just don't know what those numbers are. I don't know if my numbers make sense. It seems like $100,000 a month is enough for a small clinic that will only dispense basic maternal and well-child care. Antibiotics etc. Either way. I think my plan sounds good- but who knows. I don't work for the Hilton Foundation and I have no idea what really is involved in organizing large scale volunteer work. Scary though, to think that somewhere in the world, there is a child dying of dehydration because her family lives too far from a clinic where they can hook her up to IV fluids or fill her with Pedialyte. Generic antibiotics cost pennies a day. PENNIES. And in these remote areas, millions of kids that are MY KIDS age are dying. It's sad.

I know this is why I want to be in Public Health. I keep going back and forth regarding my masters program. MPH or MBA. Today I'm feeling MPH, but you know when I get my pay check next week, I may lean back towards MBA. sigh...