Our 11 members team arrived to Axum University Referral Hospital on Sunday the 30th of April 2017. Axum is about 1000 km North West to Addis Ababa.
10 travelled from London and Sr Serkalam Sileshi, our Ethiopian member joined us on arrival to Addis Ababa. This was our 3rd mission to Axum.
The team was split into two groups. One group was responsible for assessing patients mainly for surgery for pelvic organ prolapse and for operating on them. The other group introduced cervical screening to Axum. Cervical screening never happened before. In addition 2 volunteers contributed to all the activities including maintenance, assembling equipment and buying blankets and flower to every postoperative patient.
The team was joined on Monday the 01/05 by an Ethiopian Gynaecologist from Jimma University and 2 trainees from Mekelle University, Ayder Campus.
One of the trainees was originally from Juba, South Sudan and he is planning to go back to South Sudan once his training is complete. We were joined as well by an anaesthetic trainee from Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa.
A total number of 760 patients were seen during the 2 week mission. 107 patients underwent major surgery to treat pelvic organ prolapse. Other conditions that were treated include uterine fibroids and cervical cancer.
All the operations went very well with no complications. Most patients were driven back to their homes by hospital cars. Every patient was given a blanket and some cooking flower on discharge.
The cervical screening team screened 339 patients for early cervical abnormalities and treated 10 of them with a Cryocautery. They trained 4 nurses and two doctors.
William, our maintenance man made 9 theatre trollies out of the remains of many broken ones and as an occupational therapist got every patient out of bed and helped them to walk to help with their recovery.
The team will go back soon to Axum and plans for starting a residency program in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Axum are underway.
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