May 24, 2024
News
20-year-old Alexandr, a future medical assistant studying at Bălți College of Medicine in Moldova, dedicates his time as a volunteer at the Rebeca home care centre in Bălți, which was opened by Caritas Czech Republic. Together with other volunteers, he helps elderly people to benefit from remote medical consultations via the telemedicine platform. He shared with us his motivation for joining the programme and how this journey has changed his personal life also.
Caritas Czech Republic has introduced telemedicine services in 8 home care centres across Moldova. As one of the volunteers in this initiative, could you share more about yourself and your experiences?
I am currently studying at the Bălți College of Medicine in Moldova and working as a volunteer at the Rebeca home care centre. I help people with various tasks, health problems and technical questions. Helping people to make their lives better is my passion, I strive to be a psychological support for them as well.
It seems you really like helping people. Is this the reason you decided to join the volunteering initiative?
Exactly. While I was volunteering at the home care centre, I found out that Caritas Czech Republic is looking for volunteers for their telemedicine initiative and naturally I joined the team. As a future medical assistant, I want to help elderly people and people with various health problems.
What valuable experiences have you gained from your interactions with the people you have met during your volunteering?
While engaging with the people who use the telemedicine services introduced by Caritas Czech Republic, I have learned so many things, like showing empathy, understanding patients' needs and concerns, and communicating more efficiently. At the same time, I learned to respect patients' rights and protect their personal information. Besides that, I have improved my technical skills, interpretation of medical data, and use of the necessary equipment.
Elderly people in Moldova face many technical challenges, how does your volunteering address these issues?
Many people, especially elderly people, find it difficult to use information technology. They lack technical knowledge, which prevents them from accessing telemedicine services. People in rural or remote areas often have difficulty connecting to the internet for online consultations. Palliative care patients need empathetic and sensitive communication, which is difficult in the virtual environment. One of the challenges is communication with some specialists, many are busy, some are hard to find, some are reluctant to consult online. I’m trying to address all these issues in my volunteering programme.
How do you think this volunteering experience will help you in the future?
During this volunteering period, I enriched my medical knowledge and experience, and made new friends and colleagues. I developed technical, project management, communication, and collaboration skills while also improving my CV. This shows I have practical experience and am dedicated to the field.
I have gained self-confidence and enriched my own life. I am very happy about this volunteering opportunity. The telemedicine services provide access to medical consultations, thus improving the lives of the people we help.
Caritas Czech Republic support health and social care in Moldova
Alexandr's volunteering journey exemplifies the impact of Caritas Czech Republic's telemedicine initiative. Through dedication and compassion, volunteers like him are shaping the future of healthcare accessibility. As they continue their journey , the lessons learned from this project will undoubtedly pave the way for a healthier, more connected society.
Caritas Czech Republic, in partnership with Homecare Association, has opened 11 home care centres in Moldova. In addition to social support, these centres also provide health services. Elderly people in Moldova often find it difficult to make ends meet, and it is especially costly for them to check up with doctors, who are located far from where they live . That is why we provide telemedicine services and engage volunteers, such as Alexandr, in this initiative. We introduced telemedicine services in 8 health care centres across Moldova, thanks to financial support from the Czech Development Agency. As part of the development, 24 medical and social assistants provide consultations and care services for elderly people or people in need of permanent care.
