Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles

March 26th – Sixth Leg – 2nd day: Tissint

1 hour from Foum Zguid, the Tissint Health Centre accommodates the Medical Caravan for the 2nd consecutive year. Head Doctor Malika, his colleagues and nurses join the team. This will be a tough day. Many patients have registered in advance at the Health Centre to receive a consultation with one of the specialists announced here for the past two weeks. Hence an interminably long line of patients awaits our arrival.
This is the last leg. The time has come for summaries and reports, both qualitative and qualitative, of this year's activities.
The team and our title sponsor TOTAL head for Essaouira.

March 25th – Sixth Leg - 1st day: The nomads

Aujourd’hui est un jour exceptionel, nous allons à la rencontre des nomades. Dès l’aube, après 2 heures de piste nous arrivons au campement. Les nomades de 3 territores du Lac Iriqui se sont donnés rendez-vous à un point convenu avec la Caravane Médicale. Les tentes berbères montées par les membres de l’association ADRAPAC sont prêtes à accueillir les médecins et leurs spécialités. Les 4x4 sont chargès à bloc, transportant tout le nécessaire pour la journée : groupe électrogène, autoréfracteur, sacs de dons, matériel médical et médicaments. Les consultations se déroulent dans la sérénité, les nomades sont des gens accueillants et disciplinés. Les membres de la caravane éprouvent une grande emotion à retrouver cette population qui n’hésite pas à venir nous rejoindre par tous moyens de locomotion et parfois à 2 jours de marche à pied.

March 24th - Fifth Leg Second Day: Tagounite

For this second day of the marathon leg of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, the Medical Caravan sets up in the Health Centre of Tagounite, 15 mins from the next bivouac. We are met by the Major and his team who are dealing with a nurses' strike. A solution is quickly found and translators, volunteers of the Red Crescent, join the medical team to improve our efficiency.

March 23rd – Fifth Leg, First Day: Tazarine

Today the Gazelles leave for their first marathon leg (2 days).
We arrive very early in this smal town in Zagora province. We get set up in the Health Centre where we are made welcome by Dr Khalid El Moutaki and the nurses. We can count on their help (translation, collaboration in care and follow-up). They are well organized and we are soon ready to receive patients. 

March 22nd – Fourth Leg: Khemilia

A small village to the south of the immense dunes of Merzouga, home to the Gnawa, a Berber tribe renowned for their music. The Medical Caravan sets up in a traditional patriarchal house.
Here we meet with a pleasant population, sensitive and aware, and the consultations proceed without problem. We begin with the children while the women make the bread. 
At the end of a full day of consultations, the Gnawa honour us by playing a selection of their best music.

March 21st – Third Leg: Zrigat

We inaugurate the Health Centre. The population gathers quickly as soon as we arrive, and it is necessary to manage the flow of patients. Dr Bellouti, Health Ministry representative, joins us for the day; he will see to the proper follow-up of any patients requiring further care. 


Some numbers

- Gynaecology: 55 consultations.
- General Medicine: 167 consultations.
- Paediatry: 70 consultations.
- Eye Exams: 416 consultations with 2 Trichiasis treatments.
- Vision tests: 92 with 45 pairs of glasses provided.

Total: 800 consultations.

March 20th - Second Leg: Tafroukh

March 19th – First Leg: Aït Saadane

At 8:00 we head for Aït Saadane, a 15 minute drive from the bivouac by 4WD, for the first consultations of the Rallye. The village allows us to use its college, where we invade the classrooms to set up consultation rooms for the various medical specialties, the pharmacy and a room for giving out donations. The population of the village and the neighbouring areas, informed 3 months ago of our visit, are waiting in large numbers at the front door.

March 18th

The whole team has now reached the bivouac.
First briefing and organization of last-minute details.

Already hard at work:

March 17th - Liaison leg to the first bivouac

Preliminaries: March 14th – Sète

The Medical Caravan