After months of planning, this past week’s DCR surgery campaign in Northern Ethiopia was TREMENDOUSLY IMPACTFUL and incredibly rewarding!
We PERFORMED OVER 100 tear duct bypass surgeries on patients from young children to seniors who’d been unable to get surgery and had therefore developed Dacryocystitis – infection in their eyes and faces, and in some cases cellulitis. Our surgical team worked morning to night all week to perform the complex surgeries. Prof. Morris Hartstein led the surgical team which included three local Ethiopian doctors – one of whom Dr. Hartstein had trained in Israel as part of Operation Ethiopia’s physician training program.
OR conditions in Ethiopia are quite different than in Israel – no suction, cauterization, general anaesthesia (for adults), or sometimes even lighting, but we adapt.
We are THRILLED to have provided treatment and relief to so many people!
The Israeli Ambassador praised our work for helping so many indigent people, and for our humanitarian work helping to enhance ties between Israel and Ethiopia. The Israeli Embassy in Ethiopia produced a video about our mission and you can watch it here!
