Yet another medical mission in Ethiopia
Helping people at the medical camp was an incredibly humbling experience. Seeing the gratitude in their eyes, despite the challenges they face, reminded me of the profound impact compassion and care can have. It was a privilege to be part of a team that brought hope and healing to a community that welcomed us with open hearts,” said PDG Madhukar Malhotra. He was the project chair for the Rotary medical mission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, undertaken in August by a team of 25 Rotarians including 18 doctors and a technician from Rotary clubs across India.
This 12-day, $141,000 global grant medical VTT project was spearheaded by RC Chandigarh, RID 3080 (fourth to Ethiopia), in partnership with RC Addis Ababa, the host club. This is the 27th medical mission to Africa, said Malhotra.
Over 600 people were surgically treated across five hospitals in Addis Ababa for various medical conditions. “We treated some challenging conditions which are not routinely addressed here,” said Dr Kuldeep Dhawan, a laparoscopic urologist and medical director of the mission. Among the many success stories was that of a patient who had endured partial facial paralysis for six years. He now has hope of a full recovery through physiotherapy. “This mission saved me; the doctors here had advised me to travel overseas for treatment and I cannot afford that,” he said.
RID 3250 PDG Dr R Bharat, consultant plastic surgeon, who has specialised in cleft care and burns management said, “We did some complicated tissue transfer treatment relatively new to Ethiopian doctors.” He recalled a remarkable reconstruction surgery on a 60-year-old man who had lost his nose to skin cancer. Dr Ravindra Bharathi and Dr Vigneswaran, microvascular surgeons from the Ganga Hospitals, Coimbatore, meticulously reconstructed his nose using tissue from his forehead, restoring not just his appearance but also his confidence. In another extraordinary surgery, the team helped a 25-year-old war victim regain function in his right arm through an eight-hour microsurgery to reconstruct damaged nerves.
“The plastic surgery department at the Alert Specialised Hospital is doing commendable work, and we supplemented their efforts by training the junior doctors, nurses and technicians,” said Dr Bharat. A CCTV placed outside the OT helped them learn the complexities of this surgery. The Indian team performed 22 major reconstructive surgeries at the hospital.
Milind Joshi, a paediatric surgeon and urologist from Jalgaon, was on his second visit to Ethiopia as part of Rotary medical mission. “This time we introduced laparoscopic surgery for children, something that had never been done here.” His team donated a neonatal cystoscope to the St Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, enabling doctors to treat complex renal conditions in newborns. Dr Masresha Solomon, assistant professor of Urology at the hospital, expressed her gratitude, saying, “So far we’ve been performing open surgeries; now, thanks to Rotary, we’ve gained the knowledge and experience to perform laparoscopic surgeries.”
Around $200,000 worth of defunct medical equipment in various hospitals was repaired and re-installed by Jai Dev Sharma, a biomedical engineer in the team. “At one hospital we found ₹6 crore-worth new equipment donated by international donors lying unused under a tarpaulin. Sharma installed and made it functional,” said Malhotra. The Indian doctors trained local technicians and nurses to operate these devices.
The mission team left for Ethiopia on Aug 11, “commemorating the birthday of PRIP Rajendra Saboo who pioneered the medical VTT initiative in 1998. Rotary medical missions are always close to his and Usha’s hearts,” he said. The Ethiopian Airlines made special provisions for the team’s extra baggage of medical supplies and equipment.
Reflecting on the experience, RC Chandigarh past president Anil Chadda, who volunteered for this mission, said, “Over the course of 12 days, we not only provided critical medical care but also empowered local healthcare professionals with the skills and knowledge to continue this work.” Indian Ambassador to Ethiopia Anil Kumar Rai complimented the Rotarians for providing critical medical care in Ethiopia and sharing their medical expertise with the local doctors.
