Dr Mike, INF’s specialist Ear Surgeon, reports on the recent national conference of the Society of Otolaryngology of Nepal [SOL] held in Pokhara.
The SOL for Ear, Nose and Throat [ENT] specialists holds a conference every two years. We were delighted that Pokhara was selected to hold the 2017 conference. Dr Devesh Singh, chief of ENT surgery at the Western Regional Hospital, became the local organizer and co-ordinator for this event.
The conference was extended an extra day to observe surgical procedures, at the new ‘state of Art’ Ear centre at Green Pastures Hospital [GPH].
We were able to obtain the expert services of Dr Jeremy Lavy, a renowned stapes and cochlear implant surgeon, from the United Kingdom.
The Ear Centre was designed to be a specialist training centre and much of the needed equipment, including operating microscopes with a video system, had been acquired slowly over a period of time.
Dr Mike demonstrating the operation to the audience via a small microphone and camera
Rabi, our technician, was then responsible for putting the equipment together so that those in the seminar room could observe the operation whilst in progress. They had access to the medical notes, CT scans and an overview of the patient’s ear and incisions. The surgeon was able to demonstrate the operation to the audience via a small microphone and camera and could also respond to questions or comments from the audience.
Before the conference I had spent ten days performing much needed surgery for the huge list of patients. At least two major operations a day were scheduled alongside the usual outpatients department list.
The use of two operating tables meant that there were little or no gaps between the surgical demonstrations on patients selected from GPH’s list.
We were surprised, and yet delighted, that 96 ENT doctors from around Nepal were able to attend this year’s conference.
In the following two days Mike and Jeremy were guest lecturers and Sandra Eisner presented a research paper based on 25 years of ear camps, covering over 40,000 patients. A British ENT trainee, Anne Markey, also presented two research papers, one of which won a prize.
When we were not participating in lectures, we were being introduced to a host of people from INF and GPH leadership, bible study groups, church friends and neighbours.
We enjoyed the normal Nepali banquet and hospitality, observed a cultural show and had the opportunity to dance, Nepali style.
Plaques were presented to participants and SOL gave special plaques to the Ear Centre and its staff.
We thank God for all He did through the conference and pray for the ongoing work of GPH as a whole. Patients are seen and treated with compassion, care and dedication.
Part of INF’s future directions is to improve the quality of our technical work through the support of specialist advisors, and this is the beginning…
Please keep praying for our team.