I am starting my blog late as it should have commenced before my first visit to Africa. However better late than never. I am motivated to start now because of my upcoming return to Tanzania in January 2009. My first trip was inspired by a long time realization that I needed to do more than just north American health care delivery and the sudden finding of time on my hands. This has occurred courtesy of the Calgary health regions not allowing me to have any operating time!! I had heard of CACHA for some time because of the involvement of one of my colleagues in Ottawa, Dr. Robin Fairfull-Smith. His activities in east Africa have gone on for quite a while and I had heard him give talks on his return from trips and was quietly jealous. I had used the excuse of busy work schedule and family commitments to delay. Now with only Jacob (in grade 12) left at home I had no more excuses.

So-- First there was an aborted planned trip with another organization to Kenya. The unrest following the last elections caused a lot of violence in the area of Kizumu,where I was meant to go.

Then I hooked up with CACHA an established organization run out of Ottawa. The organisation Canada African Community Health Alliance was started by Don Kilby a family doctor who runs the student health office at the university of Ottawa. He is an inspiration.