Today we’d like to introduce you to Jean Louis Benae.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
This non-profit organization was started to address the disparities faced by patients suffering from neurosurgical disorders in Sub Saharian Africa, where there is one neurosurgeon caring for a patient population of 3-10 million people.
There are only 565 qualified neurosurgeons available to treat a patient population of 1.2 billion in the African continent
We created a platform that allows us to positively impact on the care of these patients through organized medical/surgical missions in different areas of Sub Saharan Africa.
Three specific goals are set with these missions:
1. Close interaction and knowledge exchange with local physicians and staff. This is done by creating a team of US and local physicians/surgeons that will work closely to triage various challenging pathologies, discuss various treatment nuances and address potential pitfalls and complications that may arise. This intense interaction that starts months before the mission allows us to gauge their experiences and challenges and better refine their knowledge base in the overall management of neurosurgical disorders.
2. Direct patient assistance by allowing them to benefit from what would be considered standard of care in any other western societies. Many of the patients being treated typically don’t have the means to afford their care or have pathologies requiring advanced technology to be treated adequately. We thus always partner with large public facilities in these missions.
3. Providing medical and surgical supplies to ensure the desired successful outcome is obtained. The right outcome can only be obtained if we provide the support staff and technology similarly used here where we practiced. We thus make a significant effort to transpose our operating theaters to our site in the chosen African city. We have been able to gather and distribute eighth 40 ft containers filled with medical/surgical supplies and equipment in Ghana and Cameroon.
And the reach goes beyond neurosurgery patients as we take along the team any physician available to go.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has been a learning experience, and each area is different with regards to their needs.
Gathering enough supplies and a large team with experiences involving various aspects of neurosurgical care is not always easy.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Brain Project Foundation story. Tell us more about the business.
What is really particular about our missions is that there is a significant emphasis on providing an impact that is effective and sustainable, through empowering the local physicians. The relations that are created with the local physicians last beyond the duration of the particular mission, as we regularly share and discuss interesting cases.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Should we have the proper support and manpower, we could actually make a significant contribution to the current health care ecosystem in Sub Saharian Africa.
Pricing:
- Transportation/Airfare per team member…… $1500-2000
- Lodging per team member …… $150/day
- One 40 ft Container of medical supplies/equipment including shipping…. $10000
- Vaccine/Visa fees per team member….. $200
- Nutrition per team member…. $30/day
Contact Info:
- Address: 8000 Eldorado Pkwy Bldg E, Suite A
McKinney, TX 75070 - Website: www.brainproject.co
- Phone: (469) 734-7878
- Instagram: brainprojectaf
Image Credit:
Barbara Benae, Kojo Yeboah, Michael Appiah
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