LEWISTON — For years, Somali refugees faced the ravages of war and the struggle of living in a refugee camp. Fresh fruits and vegetables were rare and nutrition poor. Women were sometimes raped. Families were traumatized by war, by the camp, by losing the world they knew.

Some moved to the United States. And some of them, eventually, to Lewiston-Auburn.

In the Twin Cities, they have access to medical- and mental-health care. But hospitals and doctors’ offices can be intimidating for those who don’t speak English well. Societal differences can lead to misunderstandings between patients and doctors. And if a family doctor wants to refer a refugee or immigrant to a specialist — such as a counselor experienced in helping traumatized international patients — those specialists can be all but impossible to find in the area.

Now some local doctors and others want to figure out a way to overcome those challenges.

Next week, 35 experts from the U.S. and Africa will meet at Bates College in Lewiston as part of “African Refugee Health: Best Practices,” a regional conference sponsored by Bates, St. Mary’s Health System, Central Maine Healthcare and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Many of us, even if we know a lot, need to know more,” said Alice Haines, a local family doctor who helped organize the conference.

The conference, which runs Oct. 15 to 17, will feature 35 speakers, including local health care workers, a CDC infectious disease specialist, the director of Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, a former medical officer with the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya and various medical professionals from Minnesota, which has the largest Somali population in the United States. Lectures will cover several topics, including female genital cutting, Hepatitis B and medical screenings for refugees. Workshop topics include medical interpretation, behavioral medicine for African refugees, the transition from Africa to America, oral health and malnutrition.

The goal: Help local Somali families by helping their doctors.

“The way to take good care of the newest Mainers is already known, it’s out there. So let’s bring that expertise to Maine and share it,” said Patricia Walker, medical director of HealthPartners Center for International Health in Minnesota and one of the conference’s organizers.      

Organizers hope the weekend conference will not only show local health -care workers what their counterparts are doing across the country to address immigrant and refugee trauma, medical care and language barriers, but will also allow local workers to connect and learn from each other.

“I think there’s a lot of isolation. For example, knowing who the best person to send a Somali patient who’s been traumatized. Who do I send that person to?” Haines asked. “Instead of saying, ‘Oh, I’ll give you aspirin for your headache,’ saying, ‘Oh, I know your headaches are because you’re dreaming about being tortured and here’s a person who has a translator in your language and can help you handle that.'”  

Both opening and closing keynote speeches will be free and open to the public, as will the Saturday evening cultural event featuring African poetry and Somali rap. Although those programs are free, tickets are required. 

All other workshops and lectures require an admission fee. Attendance will cost $200 for doctors and $100 for medical residents, nurses, health-care professionals and the general public. Scholarships are available for African attendees.

For tickets to either of the free events or the paid portion of the conference, contact Brenda Pelletier at bpelleti@bates.edu or call 786-6400.

For more information on the conference, including a detailed program, go to http://www.bates.edu/x221346.xml.

ltice@sunjournal.com