The gift of hearing
Local surgeon, Mr Adnan Safdar, gives his services to the
people of Cambodia
Mr Adnan Safdar, ENT surgeon at Berwick’s St John of God
Hospital, has recently returned from his third trip to Cambodia as
part of a longstanding medical project to offer surgery to some of
the poorest people in South East Asia.
The project which was set up a decade ago by
Kevin Howell, an ENT surgeon from Albury, aims to send a team of
surgeons, anaesthetists and audiologists twice yearly to Battambang
Province; a remote area about 300kms northwest of the capital city,
Phnom Penh.
Mr Safdar said, “It’s very rewarding to be
able to offer surgery to people who would otherwise not receive
this kind of medical treatment. Each trip consists of a 7 day stay
which enables us to operate on over 20 patients with chronic ear
disease. We also offer training to the local medical staff at the
ear clinic so that patients can receive follow up care after we
leave”.
The trips are mainly self-funded by the team
with some donations offered by organisations. Berwick’s St John of
God Hospital were delighted to be able to support Mr Safdar by
donating medical supplies to the visiting team and will continue to
do so in the future.
He said: “Middle ear disease is a common but
neglected area of healthcare in Cambodia. Ear clinics are poorly
equipped, so donations of medical supplies are essential so
that the team can perform the surgery and after care that is
required."
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“In addition to loss
of hearing, chronic ear infections can lead to life threatening
complications such as brain abscess and meningitis. The
project really does improve the quality of life for people and that
is very satisfying to us and the local staff."
The project has successfully treated several
hundred people in the 10 years since it began. Mr Safdar said that
they would love to be able to grow and expand the project in
Cambodia but that there are limitations in operating facilities
within Cambodia’s health system. Nevertheless, local awareness of
the work that the Australian team does means that people come from
far and wide to be treated by them.